Impeachment of Kuczynski would lead to political crisis in Peru, warns expert

LIMA, Dec. 16 (Xinhua) -- The impeachment motion against President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski is leading Peru to a political crisis with unpredictable consequences, warned constitutional expert Raul Ferrero Costa on Saturday.

Speaking to Radio Programas del Peru (RPP), Ferrero Costa also said the impeachment of Kuczynski, who is accused of involvement in Latin America's biggest corruption scandal linked to Brazil's construction company Odebrecht, must follow the correct legal process.

"This is the most important case in our 21st century history and we are taking it forward with great haste," said the expert.

The expert made the comment after Peru's Congress on Friday launched the impeachment process against Kuczynski, a former Wall Street banker.

The Congress, dominated by the opposition Popular Force (FP), voted overwhelmingly in favor of a motion to consider impeachment against Kuczynski for "permanent moral incapacity", by 93 votes to 17.

Kuczynski will address the Congress on Thursday in response to the motion, having a chance to defend himself before lawmakers decide his fate.It will need just 87 votes to oust Kuczynski.

Earlier this week, Odebrecht sent Congress a requested report which showed a total of 4.8 million U.S. dollars in consulting fees to companies owned by Kuczynski or a close business associate of his.

Kuczynski has rejected calls for his resignation over allegations of corruption. He flatly denied any wrongdoing late Thursday, saying all the consulting contracts with Odebrecht were legal and were signed by his business partner.

Last month, Kuczynski also denied having received money from Odebrecht to fund his 2011 and 2016 presidential campaigns.

According to data provided by the U.S. Department of Justice, Odebrecht paid 29 million U.S. dollars to Peruvian leaders and presidential candidates from 2006 to 2014, in order to be awarded major public work contracts.

Kuczynski, 79, was elected in 2016 after campaigning on a pledge to clean up corruption and secure a political stability in Peru. Due to the Odebrecht corruption scandal, his predecessor Ollanta Humala is being held in custody and Alejandro Toledo is living as a fugitive in the United States.

In response to the parliamentary approval of the impeachment motion against Kuczynski, Peru's former foreign minister Allan Wagner said the process was being rushed through by the opposition FP out of political motives.

"We cannot allow...democracy to be eroded which cost us a lot to recover. The investigation and punishment of those guilty of corruption...must absolutely continue, however," he noted.

The FP party is led by Keiko Fujimori, daughter of Peru's former President Alberto Fujimori. Enditem