The President of Peru, Pedro Castillo, presented this afternoon his defense against the motion of presidential vacancy presented by an opposition sector of Congress of the Republic, which will be debated and voted on today. The Head of State arrived in the Chamber accompanied by the Ministers of Foreign Affairs, César Landa; of Housing, Geiner Alvarado; of Transport, Nicolás Bustamante; of Culture, Alejandro Salas; of Justice, Felix Chero, and of Defense, José Gavidia. Upon his arrival in Parliament, he received greetings from the head of the Ministerial Cabinet, Aníbal Torres.
These are some of the phrases that the president left in his brief speech to Congress this afternoon.
- “I will never make a clean slate of legality and I will continue to struggle with all my strength to consolidate institutionality”.
- “Throughout these months I have met with my people, I felt their affection and recognition. I have also heard very harsh complaints and criticisms of my management that I listen to and accept with humility.”
- “The vacancy promoted is due to the cause of permanent moral incapacity. Everyone knows that it does not contain a single element that supports it validly, since it is a compilation of versions of a sector of the press.”
- “I ask, how is it possible that I am intended to accuse and punish for the actions of third parties? It's as if Paula fouls and Elena is punished.”
- “In addition, a fact that has attracted powerful attention is that the motion has been drawn up mainly considering biased, contradictory and uncorroborated journalistic reports.”
- “This motion is the best example of how the media trial has managed to get a vacancy motion admitted.”
- “Peruvian people, let us work together to combat the true enemies of the homeland, corruption, poverty, discrimination, inequality, citizen insecurity, violence against women are just some of them.”
- “This afternoon I will be judged by you, contrary to what my detractors announced, I have personally exercised my defense strengthened by the truth that I am exposing.”
- “Rejecting this vacancy motion does not mean that the issues are not further investigated. Quite the opposite. We are ready to continue to collaborate with the relevant investigations and bodies.”
- “Congressmen, I ask you to vote for democracy, vote for Peru, vote against instability.”
REACTIONS
It was Elena and Paula's phrase that generated reactions on Twitter. Here are some of them.
VACANCY DEFENSE
President Castillo classified the 20 points of the vacancy motion into four parts in order to respond to the allegations:
First, the brief has been constructed on the basis of facts that were already discussed in the previous motion that was filed last December and which were not admitted. Therefore, the president stated that it makes no sense to use the same arguments again because it violates the right not to be prosecuted twice for the same act.
Second, it relates events in which third parties are participants. In this regard, the head of state questioned how it was possible that he intends to accuse and punish him for acting by third parties.
Thirdly, the motion points to facts under investigation both in the Prosecutor's Office and in Parliament itself. “How could it be sanctioned using these facts without any has even been corroborated”, asked the president.
Fourth, the document gives an account of new facts that do not qualify for a vacancy. In this regard, the head of State reiterated that he does not have solid evidence and elements, in addition to having been developed mainly on the basis of media versions.
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