The vote to oust President Martín Vizcarra follows a catastrophic coronavirus pandemic. Mr. Vizcarra said he approved the referendum, decreasing the possibility of constitutional crisis.
Peru, the world's second-largest copper producer, has a history of political turmoil, with three attempts to impeach a sitting president in the last five years.
Congress accepted the impeachment motion within 48 hours of the recordings’ publication, without any debate in the oversight committee or investigation to ascertain their authenticity.
Vizcarra having ruled out running for re-election in April, and not likely to back any candidate in this vote, Pacto Perú appears to be his attempt at succession planning.
Vizcarra framed the reshuffle more positively, as an opportunity for a fresh start in the face of the dual challenge of coronavirus (Covid-19) containment and economic recovery.
The elimination of parliamentary immunity is a key element of President Martín Vizcarra’s anti-corruption agenda, and it had been hoped that this congress.
Vizcarra did not shy away from acknowledging the scale of the challenges facing Peru: the coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, the associated economic emergency.
The government’s strategy has come under increased scrutiny in recent weeks, as the economic burden of lockdown grows, but numbers of cases and deaths continue to rise rapidly.
