MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peru's Congress Speaker vacated after scandal breaks out

A new Speaker is to be voted in within 5 days from Camones' removal

Peru's One-House Congress Monday approved in a plenary session to vacate Speaker Lady Camones from her position after audios went viral proving she had carried out improper Parliamentarian deeds.

The motion of censure was approved with 61 votes in favor after audios broadcast by Epicentro TV revealed she had made arrangements for the enactment of a bill that would benefit Alianza para el Progreso leader César Acuña.

Parliament's First Vice-President, the Fujimorist Martha Moyano, declared the vacancy of the presidency of the Congress after counting 61 votes in favor, 47 against and 5 abstentions, and called for new elections, which must be held within 5 days after the vacancy is officially declared.

At the same time, the Ethics Committee approved the ex officio accusation against Camones with 12 votes in favor and 3 against.

Prime Minister Aníbal Torres had argued that the recordings would be proof that Congress' agenda was defined outside the Parliament. ”There (in the audios) we can see very clearly that the agenda of Congress is not determined from within, from the Board of Spokesmen, but from outside. It is the candidate mentioned (Cesar Acuña) who sets the agenda, all the others who are there (APP members) support him,“ Torres had said Sunday.

After deeming the case as ”very serious,” other cabinet ministers concurred with Torres' view.