Latin America News – Peru’s President Is Out

News Americas, NEW YORK, NY, Fri. Mar. 23, 2018: Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski submitted his letter of resignation to lawmakers on Wednesday, a day ahead of a scheduled vote on whether or not to impeach him.

In a nationally televised address, Kuczynski said he was unable to govern effectively due to the persistent allegations of corruption that have dogged him since his first months in office.

“Faced with this difficult situation that unfairly makes me appear guilty of actions in which I did not take part, I think it is best for the country that I resign as president of the republic,” Kuczynski said.

He said he does not want to be an obstacle to the unity and harmony the nation needs so badly, adding his resignation ensures “an orderly constitutional transition”.

His resignation follows widely circulated videos of the president’s political allies appearing to be buying the votes of lawmakers in the lead-up to Thursday’s congressional impeachment hearing.

TASTE PERU

“The Odebrecht scandal erupted without him being able to say beforehand – ‘OK. There are problems coming. Here is what I can do to distance myself from these interests,'” said Eduardo Dargent, a political scientist of Lima’s Catholic University.

The businessman-turned-politician took office in July 2016, but was soon engulfed by accusations that he profited from a multinational bribery scheme operated by Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht to win lucrative government public work contracts back in the early 2000s.

The Congress first held an impeachment vote in December 2017, but the opposition-backed initiative failed to garner sufficient votes. (SOURCE: CCTV)