Congress voted to admit the debate of the new proposal to remove the President of the Republic, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. With 87 votes in favor, the opposition far exceeded the required threshold (52 votes) to advance the process, with only 15 votes against it and 15 abstentions. Consequently, the president must appear before Congress next Thursday, March 22nd to present his defense before the final vote that will decide his permanence in office.

These are critical days for Kuczynski, who must also appear before the Lava Jato Investigating Committee Friday, March 16th. The committee chaired by Congresswoman Rosa María Bartra (Fuerza Popular, opposition) investigates the alleged payment of bribes in exchange for contracts with the Peruvian State and the possible illicit financing of electoral campaigns.

Peru’s First Vice President, Martín Vizcarra, has not yet indicated whether he will resign or not in case Kuczynski is dismissed. Vizcarra is first in the line of succession in case impeachment succeeds and could choose to stay in office to avoid early elections. On the other hand, the Second Vice President, Mercedes Aráoz, said that she will resign if Kuczynski is dismissed and affirms that both Vizcarra and all the ministers should do the same. This opinion has sowed suspicions of a pact between the First Vice President and Keiko Fujimori.

Pedro Pablo Kuczynski’s situation is more delicate than three months ago, given the loss of support from the population and political allies alike. Two factors aggravated the situation since the first attempt to remove him from office in December 2017. First, the Alberto Fujimori’s pardon days after narrowly avoiding his destitution. Second, the compromising revelations of former Odebrecht Peru director, Jorge Barata, about the donations made by the Brazilian construction company to several political parties for the 2011 electoral campaign.