Peru: Thousands Demand Top Prosecutor's Resignation

Thousands in Peru took to the streets Thursday to demand the resignation of the country’s top prosecutor Pedro Chavarry after he dismissed two key prosecutors in the corruption probe against Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.

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Major demonstrations were organized on Jan. 1 in support of prosecutors Jose Perez and Rafael Vela, who denounced Chavarry’s move as “illegal” Tuesday night and warned they would appeal their dismissal.

That same day, President Martin Vizcarra announced his cabinet will present a bill to declare the public ministry in a state of emergency. Vizcarra requested Congress to debate the bill as an urgent matter.

On Dec. 26 Perez and Vela formally accused Attorney General Pedro Chavarry of "obstructing effective collaboration" with Odebrecht and Brazilian public prosecutors.

Perez and Vela are part of a small team of public lawyers who have been investigating Odebrecht for allegedly paying millions in kickbacks to former and current Peruvian elected officials, including presidents Alejandro Toledo (2001-2006), Alan Garcia (1985-1990, 2006-2011) and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (2016-2018) over the past 20 years.

On Thursday, political parties and social organizations mobilized to demand Chavarry’s dismissal. The "National March in defense of justice, democracy and against corruption" began in Plaza San Martin, in the capital city of Lima  and concluded at the headquarters of the Public Ministry, where they reiterated their demand.

Protests were replicated in Cusco, Arequipa, Trujillo, Chiclayo, and other main cities.

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According to a statement Chavarry "has proven to be an operator at the service of groups and characters linked to the corruption networks engaged in the Lava Jato and Los Cuellos Blancos del Callao (White Collars of Callao) cases."

White Collars of Callao is a mafia infiltrated in the political and judicial system, allegedly dedicated to influence-peddling, bribery, and money laundering.

Chavarry was forced to reinstate the two prosecutors after popular and political pressure.

teleSUR correspondent Jaime Herrera notes that Cahavarry’s actions delayed the signing of an agreement between the Office of the Prosecutor and Odebrecht, originally planned for Jan.11, which includes the delivery of information and statements of company officials detailing payments to politicians and bribes to government officials.

Demonstrators have vowed to continue mobilizing until Chavarry steps down.

Prosecutor Jose Perez is currently investigating Keiko Fujimori, of the Popular Force Party, for receiving at least US$1.2 million from Odebrecht for her 2011 presidential campaign.

Perez succeeded in having Fujimori put in 36 months of preventive detention, along with her husband and several Keiko advisors in November 2018 while investigations were underway.

All political parties, including Vizcarra’s Peruvians for Change, are demanding Chavarry’s resignation. The only exception is Fujimori’s Popular Force, allegedly linked to the White Collars of Callao mafia.