Kuczynski Resignation Opens Political Crisis in Peru
President resigned without accepting responsibility for eventual corruption
By: Mariela Pérez Valenzuela
The resignation of the president of Peru Pedro Pablo Kuczynski opened a parenthesis whose dimensions are unknown in the political life of the South American nation, where political analysts fear a return of the Fujimori clan, after almost two years of government of a businessman and politician accused of corruption with the Brazilian firm Odebrecht.
These sources see in the resignation of Kuczynski the end of a well-organized scheme in which even though he is not innocent of the charges against him, apparently unconnected movements of the right-wing Popular Force party are observed, presided by Keiko, the daughter of the dictator Alberto Fujimori, pardoned by presidential order last December, and former candidate in the last presidential elections.
Kuczynski, 79, who lent his country as the base of the counterrevolutionary Grupo de Lima against the legitimate government of Venezuela, submitted his resignation in a video in which he pleads innocent of the charges for which the National Congress would meet this Friday to decide his luck before a vacancy request presented by independent declared legislators, and before members of Fuerza Popular.
The president had no alternative but resignation, after the spokesmen of the Legislative on Tuesday reported the taking of actions before the release of videos that demonstrate the attempt to buy votes to favor it when analyzing his eventual dismissal from office.
Last December, the also called PPK by the initials of his Peruvian Party by the Kambio, was unharmed by a first motion of vacancy.
On that occasion, the businessman and adviser of the international financial bank won thanks to the intervention of Kenji, the son of Fujimori, who gave him the votes of his splinter group in a surprise way of Fuerza Popular, in exchange for his father’s pardon. Change for change and the elderly Fujimori won the street, despite the large popular protests against the ruling party.
The president of the Congress of Peru, Luis Galarreta Velarde, explained that they foresee the beginning of an impeachment process, approved by the majority, against parliamentarians Kenji Fujimori, Bienvenido Ramírez, Guillermo Bocangel, Mercedes Araoz and Carlos Bruce.
One of the recordings shows Kenji, Ramírez and Bocangel trying to convince Fujimorista Moisés Mamani to support Kuczynski in exchange for works in which he would make profits of up to five percent.
The departure of Kuczynski with a month left for the celebration in Lima of the VIII Summit of the Americas opens a parenthesis on the viability of the meeting -decision in the hands of the Organization of American States- since it seems imminent the call for presidential elections and legislative bodies.
According to article 119 of the Peruvian Constitution, before the presidential resignation, in its place assumes the first vice-president Martín Vizcarra, ambassador in Canada, or, failing that, the second vice-president Mercedes Aráoz, but she appears rolled with the bribe to legislators.
The lawyer and Peruvian political analyst Carlos Bedoya ratified the multinational Telesur that Vizcarra should assume and immediately call for elections.
Bedoya said that the call for elections by the first vice president of Peru is a real alternative to get out of the current political uncertainty.
The Peruvian analyst considered that the elections should also lead to a renewal of the Congress.
For the Constitutionalist lawyer of the Lima Bar Association, Gustavo Gutiérrez Ticse, it is up to the presidency of the Congress to approve the resignation of PPK and immediately appoint the new Head of State.
Another professional of the same level, Enrique Bernales, told the Peruvian media RPP that the elections must be double, since the presidential and congressional periods coincide and because it would be considered “a cut and, consequently, a full mandate must begin.”
The situation of PPK worsened last week when the Financial Intelligence Unit (FIU) reported suspicious operations in which it appeared involved, which were sent to the Legislative Branch.
One of its companies, in addition, received another 730 thousand dollars from the same company to be favored in litigation of public works constructions.
That Brazilian billionaire, linked to the scandal of the state oil company Petrobras, is also being investigated for financing the campaigns of former Peruvian presidents Alejandro Toledo, a fugitive from justice, Alan García and Ollanta Humala, in prison with his wife. The bribes were also in exchange for public works concession.
Marcelo Odebrecht, owner and director of the construction company, denounced a large number of politicians who he bribed for years in exchange for a reduction of his prison sentence.
Translated by ESTI