(Bloomberg) — The vacancy motion session once morest Peru’s president was briefly suspended amid scenes of disorder in Congress, as Pedro Castillo faces his second impeachment attempt in his eight months in office.
During a speech to Congress by Castillo’s lawyer, an opposition lawmaker held up a sign reading “Vacancy Now!”, prompting shouts and causing the session to be adjourned.
The opposition’s attempt to oust Castillo for “permanent moral incapacity” requires the support of at least 87 of the 130 lawmakers in a vote scheduled for Monday night.
The fact that the process began with the support of 76 legislators in the unicameral congress suggests that the decision will be difficult.
If Congress decided to remove him, the vice president, Dina Boluarte, would take over as head of state.
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The president told lawmakers that the accusations once morest him are speculation and blamed the biased media for trying to impeach him. The session was suspended for an hour due to disorder.
The first eight months of Castillo, a former school teacher little known until he won the first round of Peru’s presidential elections in April, have been plagued by political crises, changes in his allegiances in Congress and allegations of corruption. Last month, the president named Aníbal Torres as his fourth prime minister since late July in a bid to stabilize his government.
Peruvian law makes it relatively easy to remove a head of state from office. Former President Martín Vizcarra was impeached less than two years ago.
Still, investors have largely taken political volatility in stride. The sol has advanced more than 7% this year and the stock market is the best performer of 92 indices in local currency terms in 2022, gaining more than 20%.
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Peru Impeachment Proceedings Suspended Amid Disorder in Congress
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