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Martin Vizcarra hired singer Richard "Swing" Cisneros for US$40,000 to train public officials with motivational courses.
On Tuesday, Peru’s Congress Permanent Commission unanimously approved a constitutional complaint filed by the Attorney General's Office against former President Martin Vizcarra (2018-2020) for the irregular hiring of singer Richard "Swing" Cisneros during his administration.
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This corruption case also involves former Culture Ministers Patricia Balbuena, Ulla Holmquist, and Sonia Guillen. Besides allowing influence peddling, they would have prepared contracts for an amount of US$40,000 in favor of Cisneros, a Vizcarra's friend who supposedly would train public officials with motivational courses.
The congressional decision was motivated by the unveiling of audios in which Vizcarra instructed his government officials on how they should give their testimony in the tax investigation that followed Swing irregular hiring.
Meanwhile, the Attorney General's Office is investigating those former ministers for having interceded in the coordination of contracts and payments in favor of Cisneros.
In Peru people came out to protest against the vacancy of now expresident Martin Vizcarra. Since then, Peruvians across the country have been protesting to voice their anger. #peru pic.twitter.com/dGjzlZfTSg
— Vamos Internacional (@VAMOSINTL) November 14, 2020
In April, Vizcarra was found guilty of influence peddling, collusion, and making false declarations in relation to a corruption scandal in which senior public officials receiving Sinopharm COVID-19 vaccines before they were available for the immunization of the population.
When trying to justify what happened, Vizcarra said that he and his wife were volunteers for the clinical trials of Sinopharm vaccines in their country. The university that was in charge of these tests, however, denied that version. Because of this, Congress approved his temporary banning from public office by 86 votes in favor and zero against.
In March 2018, Vizcarra became president vowing he would fight corruption. As evidenced by the acts of his government, however, he did not keep his promise.
#Peru | Prosecutor opens new investigation against Keiko Fujimori. pic.twitter.com/XmkrMgPcQf
— teleSUR English (@telesurenglish) July 6, 2021
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