Page 12 - ARUBA TODAY

A12 WORLD NEWS
Wednesday 2 OctOber 2019
Peru thrown into constitutional crisis amid power struggle

By FRANKLIN BRICEÑO and magistrates had expired,
CHRISTINE ARMARIO Vizcarra, legal observers
LIMA, Peru (AP) — A bitter and human rights groups
struggle between Peru's criticized the congressio-
president and congress nal action for its speed and
over who will govern the lack of transparency. The
South American country newspaper El Comercio
threatened to become a reported Monday that six
lengthy and destabilizing of the candidates up for
legal battle as each side consideration are facing
dug in Tuesday amid the potential criminal or civil
deepest constitutional crisis charges for offenses includ-
in nearly three decades. ing kidnapping, extortion
President Martín Vizcarra and sex abuse.
dissolved the opposition- By law, congress is responsi-
controlled congress and ble for appointing the new
called new elections on judges, a stipulation that
Monday, saying the step Vizcarra contends fuels po-
was needed to uproot the litical conflict.
nation's endemic corrup- The one magistrate select-
tion. Defiant opposition ed by lawmakers Monday
lawmakers voted to sus- Associated Press before congress suspend-
pend him from office and ed voting is a relative of the
appointed a vice president leaders. ministration. Whether or structive step." head of the legislature. It
who recently broke ranks in Teresa Tintaya was among not two such votes have "It's appropriate for the is still unclear whether the
his place. a handful of protesters out- taken place is at the crux political polarization the newly appointed judge
The 35-member Organiza- side congress Tuesday yell- of the conflict between the country is suffering from be might take his seat and if so
tion of American States on ing phrases like, "Garbage executive and legislative resolved by the people at who he would replace and
Tuesday urged Peru's Con- congress, the people hate branches. the polls," the organization how that might change the
stitutional Tribunal to weigh you!" Vizcarra contends a rejec- said. balance of the tribunal.
in on the feud as both sides "President Vizcarra is a tion vote during Kuczyn- The Constitutional Tribunal Rigoberto Cueva, who was
accused the other of abus- brave man," she said. ski's administration counts is expected to decide sev- demonstrating in favor of
ing power and jeopardizing Even before the turmoil, the as the first because he is eral important cases in the Vizcarra on Tuesday, said
the nation's stability. nation was already on shaky continuing his predeces- months ahead, including a that whatever happens in
The military and governors political ground. Nearly ev- sor's mandate. He argues habeas corpus request to court, it is clear what the
stood by Vizcarra while ery living former president that the second happened free Fujimori, who is being public is clamoring for.
several private business has been ensnared in the Monday when lawmakers held as prosecutors investi- "It's not Vizcarra who has
coalitions announced they mammoth Odebrecht cor- proceeded with a vote to gate her for allegedly laun- won here, it's the people,"
would back Mercedes ruption scandal, in which select new Constitutional dering money from Ode- he said. "And the people
Aráoz, who legislators the Brazilian construction Tribunal magistrates, de- brecht. have been demanding
swore into office late Mon- heavyweight admitted to fying his warning that he Though the terms for all six that congress be closed."q
day night as the country's funneling money to politi- would interpret it as a vote
rightful chief of state. cians around Latin America against confidence.
"It seems we are facing a in exchange for handsome Almost simultaneously, op- Amazon fires fall sharply
protracted political crisis, public works contracts. position lawmakers rushed
with the dispute potentially Lower-ranking but still pow- to approve a vote of con- in September, spread
ending up before courts," erful judges, lawmakers fidence that they say in ef-
said Maria Luisa Puig, an and businessmen have fect inhibits Vizcarra from elsewhere
analyst for the Eurasia been caught on wiretaps closing congress.
Group consultancy. negotiating backroom Pedro Olaechea, presi-
For now, Peruvians ap- deals, leading many Peru- dent of the dissolved leg- RIO DE JANEIRO (AP) — The ers as well as illegal loggers
peared overwhelmingly in vians to conclude that no islature, said Tuesday that number of fires has de- and miners.
favor of Vizcarra's decision, branch of their country's he and others believe the clined sharply in Brazil's Am- But in July and August, parts
but the events nonetheless turbulent government can president's act was a "new azon region an alarming of the Amazon burned
could threaten to fuel so- be trusted. sort of coup." He said law- rise in July and August, but at a pace unseen since
cial unrest. Vizcarra is likely Vizcarra rose to power last makers are deciding how state environmental work- 2010, fueling global worries
to continue governing as year after President Pedro to proceed but that what ers say the fight continues about climate change.
president while any chal- Pablo Kuczynski resigned in is likely to follow will be a as officials still promote Scientists say the vast rain-
lenge from the opposition relation to the Odebrecht "lengthy, tedious and deli- economic development in forest is a bulwark against
works its way through court. probe and made defeat- cate legal matter." protected natural areas. global warming, as its lush
He has already called for ing corruption his signature "The event we are living will Fires in the Amazon went vegetation absorbs heat-
new legislative elections in drive. He has succeeded generate much uncertain- down 35.5% in September trapping carbon dioxide
early 2020. where his predecessor ty," he said. compared to August, with from the atmosphere.
But if congress prevails, failed in gaining the pub- The OAS, in its statement, 19,925 fires, according to The moisture given off by
lawmakers would be en- lic's support, but repeat- said the Constitutional Tri- data published Tuesday its trees also affects rain-
titled to stay in their posts till edly clashed with congress bunal, the same institution by the National Institute for fall patterns and climate
2021, calling off Vizcarra's ruled by opposition leader at the center of the feud, Space Research. across South America and
elections and likely moving Keiko Fujimori's party. should decide on the le- Official data going back to beyond. International out-
to impeach him, all moves Under Peru's law, Vizcarra gality of Vizcarra's action, 1998 show that historically, cry led President Jair Bol-
that could irritate an al- is entitled to dissolve con- but the regional body also September tends to have sonaro to ban fires in the
ready angry public with gress if it rejects two votes characterized the call for more fires than August. Fire Amazon for 60 days and
little to no faith in elected of confidence in his ad- new elections as a "con- is regularly used to clear send federal troops to help
land by ranchers and farm- combat the blazes.q