Vizcarra pushes back on ‘impeachment’

Bloomberg

Peru President Martin Vizcarra is pushing back on an impeachment attempt, asking the country’s top court to halt the process while accusing the head of congress of involving the military to oust him.
Cabinet chief Walter Martos said the government will file a lawsuit on Monday at the Constitutional Court to halt the impeachment proceedings.
In a televised address, Martos said “anti-democratic sectors” with “hidden interests” are trying to destabilise Peru’s democratic order at a time when the country is facing a devastating health crisis.
Congress voted to start the process that could lead to the removal of Vizcarra from office, throwing the country in political disarray amid its worst recession in a century following the coronavirus pandemic.
Lawmakers backing the motion allege Vizcarra sought to obstruct a graft probe into his administration. A final vote is scheduled for September 18, after the president has had a chance to defend himself in
a congress where he has no
representatives.
Congress is pushing for impeachment “simply with the strength of the votes,” Justice Minister Ana Neyra told RPP radio. Peru’s constitution allows congress to impeach the president on the grounds of “permanent moral incapacity.”
The political turmoil risks weighing on an economy badly battered by Covid-19. With the world’s highest deaths per capita from the coronavirus, the South American nation saw gross domestic product tumble 30% in the second quarter, the worst slump of any major economy. It also marks the latest chapter in the history of one of Latin America’s most politically volatile nations.
Political intrigue deepened Saturday when the government said Manuel Merino, the head
of congress, made calls to
senior members of the armed forces, hours before the impeachment motion was presented to parliament.
The military officials informed Defense Minister Jorge Chavez about the calls.
Merino told reporters he called the head of the navy to assure him of his “absolute respect” for the constitution in the face of a potential political
crisis. Merino said he never mentioned the impeachment motion during the call.
The head of congress will replace Vizcarra if he’s impeached, until elections can take place. Peru is due to hold a general election in April, and Vizcarra has repeatedly said he won’t seek a new term.