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Peru judge bars Fujimori from leaving country once released
Read full article: Peru judge bars Fujimori from leaving country once releasedA Peruvian judge has banned former President Alberto Fujimori from leaving the country for 18 months as soon as he leaves a prison where he has been serving a 25-year sentence for murder.
Leftist teacher inches toward victory in disputed Peru vote
Read full article: Leftist teacher inches toward victory in disputed Peru votePeru has finished tallying votes in the country’s tight presidential contest but no winner has been declared, with electoral authorities saying they are scrutinizing a small number of ballots amid unproven claims of possible vote tampering leveled by the apparent loser.
Peruvians get 3rd president in a week amid cautious hopes
Read full article: Peruvians get 3rd president in a week amid cautious hopesFrancisco Sagasti waves after being sworn-in as the new, interim president at Congress in Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020. Sagasti's appointment marks a tumultuous week in which thousands took to the streets outraged by Congress' decision to oust popular ex-President Martn Vizcarra. “I hope this one is different.”Peru plunged into turmoil last week when Congress voted to oust ex-President Martín Vizcarra. Sagasti voted against Vizcarra’s ouster — a move likely to win him at least some backing from those who took to the streets in protest. Lawmakers used a 19th century-era clause to oust Vizcarra for “moral incapacity,” accusing him of taking bribes years ago when he was a governor.
Peru impeachment plunges nation into new political turmoil
Read full article: Peru impeachment plunges nation into new political turmoilPeruvian lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Monday night to remove Vizcarra from office, expressing anger over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and citing alleged but unproven corruption allegations. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)LIMA – Peru tumbled into political turmoil Tuesday as anger mounted over a vote by Congress to oust the country’s popular president over his handling of the pandemic and unproven allegations of corruption years ago. The ouster measure was supported by 105 legislators — far more than the 87 votes needed for the two-thirds majority required to remove Peru's president. In his defense, Vizcarra warned opposition lawmakers that a rash decision to remove him could bring grave consequences for the already distressed nation. At least 34,879 people have died among 922,333 infected by the virus in Peru, a nation of 32 million people.
Congress votes to oust Peru's president amid pandemic crisis
Read full article: Congress votes to oust Peru's president amid pandemic crisisThe ouster measure was supported by 105 legislators — far more than the 87 votes needed for the two-thirds majority required to remove Peru's president. Thousands gathered on the streets of Peru's capital after the vote to denounce Congress. The speed of the move against the president and lack of evidence led some political analysts to warn that Congress could be putting Peru’s democracy in jeopardy. Political analyst Alonso Cárdenas said the repeated attempts to oust Vizcarra highlight the weaknesses of Peru’s political system, where no party has a majority and politicians are guided more by individual interests than ideology. The president survived the impeachment vote in September brought by opposition lawmakers who accused him of favoring a little-known singer known as Richard Swing.
Peru president survives impeachment vote amid virus turmoil
Read full article: Peru president survives impeachment vote amid virus turmoilPeru's President Martin Vizcarra greets reporters after addressing Congress in Lima, Peru, Friday, Sept. 18, 2020. The decision came after long hours of debate in which legislators blasted Vizcarra but also questioned whether a rushed impeachment process would only create more turmoil in the middle of a health and economic crisis. In the end, only 32 lawmakers voted to remove the president, while 78 voted against and 15 abstained. He called for a proper investigation and urged lawmakers not to aggravate Peru's already precarious situation by rushing through an impeachment proceeding. The president has no majority in Congress, a pandemic still to deal with and an economic contraction that has thrown millions into poverty.