Peru: Congress to Debate New Motion Against President Vizcarra

Peru's Congress on Monday was expected to debate over the admittance of a new motion of vacancy on "permanent moral incapacity" grounds against President Martin Vizcarra. 

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The vacancy motion was presented by the "Union for Peru" with the support of lawmakers from Popular Action, Broad Front, and We Can Peru, on October 20th. The motion's supporters have voiced acts of corruption committed by Vizcarra when he was Moquegua governor (2011-2014).

In order for the vacancy motion to be admitted for debate, 52 of the 130 votes of the full Congress are required. If the debate is approved, President Vizcarra could face an impeachment process that would require a two-thirds vote (87 congressmen) to remove him effectively from office.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Walter Martos has stressed that if Congress agrees to debate the new motion, he would appeal to legal resources in order to stop the process.

The current motion is the second one presented against President Vizcarra. The first one was linked to irregular hiring by the Culture Ministry of the singer Richard Cisneros.

Having counted 2 votes in favor, 78 against, and 15 abstentions, Congress dismissed a motion of censure based on alleged implications of the President in the Cisnero case in September.

According to the Congress' schedule, lawmakers are also set to debate on a bill that seeks to allow the withdrawal of private funds from the pension system.