Rio de Janeiro, Nov. 10, (dpa/GNA) – Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra said he would leave office with his “head held high” shortly after lawmakers voted to impeach him on Monday.
In Peru’s Congress, 105 representatives voted in favour of Vizcarra’s impeachment, 19 voted against and 4 abstained, less than two months after he survived a previous bid to remove him from his post. Eighty-seven votes were required for the removal.
“During these two years and eight months of government you [the Peruvian people] have been my greatest support and strength,” Vizcarra said in a tweet on Monday night.
“Together we build this path, despite adversity. I leave with a clear conscience, my head held high and my duty accomplished.”
Parliament Speaker Manuel Merino is expected to step in as interim president for several months.
Vizcarra is accused of taking 2.3 million soles (636,000 dollars) of bribes from a construction company during his time as governor of the Moquegua region from 2011 to 2014.
Vizcarra has consistently denied the allegations and did so again before the vote. He accuses the opposition of trying to destabilize the country.
He survived a previous impeachment vote in mid-September. Those proceedings were based on accusations that he tried to obstruct an investigation into government contracts worth some 50,000 dollars given to a singer.
The little-known singer allegedly held motivational courses for employees of the Culture Ministry, despite not being qualified to do so.
Vizcarra, who does not belong to any political party, took over the presidency in 2018 after his predecessor Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigned over corruption allegations.
Vizcarra had already clashed with Congress over an anti-graft offensive last year.
Peru’s presidential and parliamentary elections are due to take place in April next year.
GNA