Peru's president in last-ditch appearance to avert impeachment

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Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski on Thursday made a last-ditch effort to stave off impeachment, appearing before lawmakers to deny allegations of corruption linked to disgraced Brazilian construction firm Odebrecht.

"I came today at your request to confront and expose the false accusation to the country," the 79-year-old told the full session of Congress.

Analysts, however, predicted that impeachment later Thursday on grounds of "moral incapacity" appeared inevitable.

The Congress is dominated by the opposition, and the number of lawmakers backing the process exceeds the vote threshold needed in the 130-seat single chamber.

Peru's President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski listens as his lawyer Alberto Borea addresses lawmakers of the opposition-ruled Congress, in Lima, Peru, December 21, 2017. /Reuters Photo

The accusation against Kuczynski is that he lied to cover up 5 million US dollars in payments received from Odebrecht that both he and the company insist were for legitimate consulting fees.

The money was received between 2004 and 2013, a period in part of which Kuczynski was economy minister and head of cabinet for then-president Alejandro Toledo.

Odebrecht has admitted to paying millions of dollars in bribes to officials in several Latin American countries to secure lucrative and inflated public works contracts.

It has said it paid 20 million US dollars in kickbacks to Toledo, whom Peru wants extradited from the United States to face charges.

Another former Peruvian president, Ollanta Humala, is in jail in Peru, also on suspicion of having illicitly received millions from Odebrecht in campaign funds.

The Brazilian company agreed over the past year to pay 2.6 billion US dollars in fines to the Brazilian, Swiss and US governments for its corrupt practices.

If Kuczynski is impeached, this would be the biggest political scalp in the Odebrecht scandal.

Ecuador's vice president Jorge Glas gestures upon arrival at the National Court of Justice for the sentencing hearing, in Quito, Ecuador, on December 13, 2017. /VCG Photo

Last week, Ecuador's vice president, Jorge Glas, was sentenced to six years in prison for taking Odebrecht kickbacks.

In possible preparation for a constitutional handing over of the reins, Peru's first vice president, Martin Vizcarra, on Wednesday flew back from Canada, where he is ambassador. But he has voiced his loyalty to Kuczynski.

Source(s): AFP