Why Peru launched Impeachment proceedings against President Martin Vizcarra?

Team Udayavani, Sep 14, 2020, 1:19 PM IST

The Peruvian president, Martín Vizcarra, faced a fresh challenge to his leadership after Peru’s congress voted on Friday, Sep 11, to begin impeachment hearings against President Martin Vizcarra.   The political turmoil strikes as Peru is reeling from the coronavirus pandemic.

He was accused of obstructing an investigation into a fraud case involving a little-known Peruvian singer named Richard Cisneros. The move could result in his swift removal from office just as the country faces one of the world’s worst coronavirus outbreaks.

The lawmakers accuse the president of obstructing an investigation into nearly $50,000 in government contracts given to singer Richard Cisneros, who performs as “Richard Swing.”

According to NY times, The political crisis was set off by the release in Congress on Thursday of audio recordings that appear to show the president instructing officials to lie about an influence-peddling scandal

52 votes from the 130-member Congress were required to start the proceedings and 87 votes will be needed to remove Vizcarra from office.

However, Vizcarra hasn’t been linked to the earlier corruption and remains popular among Peruvians