2018.03.0816:37:00UTC+00PERU: Opposition Submits New Request To Oust Kuczynski

Opposition legislators presented before the Peruvian Congress a new request to oust President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski for his links with the Brazilian construction Odebrecht, investigated for paying bribes to authorities in the country.

The request was already signed by 30 congresspeople. A total of 52 votes is necessary for the process to be started.

If the vacancy request is admitted, a day and time will be agreed for the discussion and voting of the vacancy request. The president may exercise his defense himself or be assisted by a lawyer. For the presidential vacancy request to succeed, 87 votes are needed.

Earlier this year, two vacancy motions against Kuczynski were presented by the New Peru and Broad Front parties due to his links with Odebrecht.

A first vacancy motion against Pedro Pablo Kuczynski was rejected in December last year after the opposition failed to gather the 87 votes needed to oust him, while Keiko Fujimori's party supported PPK in the vote.

According to ruling party officials, the new vacancy motions are a reaction of left-wing parties to the humanitarian pardon granted by the President to Alberto Fujimori, Keiko's father, a few days after the vote. Fujimori was convicted of crimes against humanity, among other things.

Kuczynski has pledged to testify before the Car Wash commission on March 16 to answer on his links with Odebrecht.