LIMA: Peru’s regional governors are demanding respect for constitutional order and have voiced their support for President Martin Vizcarra, who is facing impeachment proceedings.
The president of the National Assembly of Regional Governments (ANGR), Servando Garcia, urged the legislators who voted in favor of a motion to impeach the president to act calmly and in the interests of the country.
The Peruvian Congress recently approved the initiation of impeachment proceedings that would possibly remove the president from office due to Vizcarra allegedly misusing public funds through the Ministry of Culture.
Garcia said that “it would be unreasonable” to leave the presidency vacant during the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, which has caused 716,670 cases of infection and 30,470 deaths.
The governor of the Peruvian region of Lima, Ricardo Chavarria, also expressed his support for Vizcarra, whose term will finish on July 28, 2021.
“An electoral process is underway to elect the next government, for which a presidential vacancy does not help the country at all,” he said.
Vizcarra said the impeachment proceedings are a “conspiracy” hatched by his political opponents who are looking to obstruct his government’s anti-corruption reforms.
The president has also received support from major unions, former presidents, and leaders of the country’s main political parties.
The motion to impeach will be debated and voted in Congress on Sept. 18. –Agencies
