Peru's President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigns

[sandensea]

Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, a market-friendly leader and one of Washington’s allies in Latin America, resigned Wednesday after a secretly recorded video appeared to show his allies trying to buy off an opposition lawmaker to sway a coming impeachment vote, two officials said.

Kuczynski, 79, is stepping down just 19 months after taking office in the wake of allegations of wrongdoing over his past business ties with Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht. He was expected to be impeached and thrown out of office on Thursday by lawmakers.

The scandal leading up to his resignation has rocked Peru, which for years has been one of Latin America’s fastest-growing economies and a darling of Wall Street.

“There is no doubt about [his resignation],” said a government official. “They should air his [resignation speech] in the next half-hour.”

Vice President Martín Vizcarra, currently serving also as Peru’s ambassador to Canada, is expected to take over the government.

At: https://www.wsj.com/articles/perus-president-pedro-pablo-kuczynski-resigns-1521661203

Outgoing President Pedro Kuczynski (right) and his successor, Vice President Martín Vizcarra.

[Judi Lynn]

1. This was fast, wasn't it? Never would have expected it so soon.

Now it's going to be appropriate to be looking for what's coming from Keiko Fujimori's dirty faction against Viscarra, etc. We know they don't intend to give up until Keiko has acquired the Presidency or died trying.

Now Wikipedia is going to need to expand this slight review of Viscarra's career now he has arrived at Peru's Presidency:

Martín Alberto Vizcarra Cornejo (born 22 March 1963) is a Peruvian engineer and politician who is the current Acting President of Peru.[1] He previously served as the Vice President of Peru alongside Mercedes Aráoz. He is the ex-Minister of Transport and Communications of Peru.

Vizcarra graduated from the National University of Engineering in Lima. He served as Governor of the Moquegua Region from 2011-2014.

In the 2016 general election, Vizcarra ran with the Peruanos Por el Kambio party as candidate for first vice president and as running mate of Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.

President of Peru
Vizcarra is set to be sworn in as the 67th President of Peru following the resignation of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martín_Vizcarra











Moaquegua, Peru, Viscarra's former home.



Viscrra with Mercedes Rosalba Aráoz.



Wikipedia for Mercedes Rosalba Aráoz:

Mercedes Rosalba Aráoz Fernández (Lima, 5 August 1961) is a Peruvian economist, professor, politician and the current Second Vice President of Peru, as well as Prime Minister, since September 17, 2017. She served as Minister of Foreign Trade and Tourism from 2006[1] to July 2009,[2] after which she was appointed Peru's finance minister.

In April 2016, Aráoz was elected as Congresswoman for 2016–2021. In June 2016, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski was elected as President of Peru and Aráoz as the second vice president.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes_Aráoz


Thank you, sandensea, for posting this unexpected article.