Peru's lawmakers start impeachment of president
Peru's Congress possesses started impeachment proceedings against President Martín Vizcarra who is accused of trying to obstruct a good corruption investigation.
The move was backed in a 65-36 vote. Lawmakers are anticipated to debate in a few days whether Mr Vizcarra ought to be taken away for "moral incapacity".
He's accused of misusing general public funds and trying to go over this up.
Mr Vizcarra, aged 57, denies any wrongdoing and accuses Congress of staging a good political coup.
What's the case about?
Friday's session of Congress was named after the head of Congress, Manuel Merino, was given leaked audio recordings where Mr Vizcarra seems to discuss means of covering up the alleged misuse of open public funds.
The recordings are of conversations between Mr Vizcarra and government aides.
He's heard telling aides to downplay information on his office's hiring of a little-known singer, Richard Cisneros, to provide pro-government motivational talks. Cisneros was reportedly paid $49,500 (£38,000).
The opposition accuses the presidency of wasting resources when ordinary Peruvians face economic hardship from the coronavirus crisis.
More than 30,000 people have died of Covid-19 in Peru, which has one of the highest death rates in the world.
How has the president responded?
President Vizcarra, who took electric power found in 2018, denies all of the allegations.
Previously Friday, he described efforts to eliminate him as "a good plot to destabilize his government".
In September 2019, Mr Vizcarra dissolved Congress, arguing that lawmakers were obstructing his anti-corruption agenda.
No party won a standard majority in the elections that implemented in January.
