LIMA, Peru (AFP) — Peruvian lawmaker Kenji Fujimori survived a vote to dismiss him from office on Thursday, part of a long-running battle with his sister Keiko for control of their father Alberto’s political dynasty.
The popular 38-year-old lawmaker avoided being disqualified for running from office, leaving the way open for his anticipated 2021 presidential run, and also maintains his parliamentary immunity.
The measure to remove him received 43 votes in favor, 20 against and 10 abstentions — failing to reach the 67 votes required for impeachment and dismissal, but he was earlier suspended on corruption allegations.
Two of his congressional allies, Bienvenido Ramirez and Guillermo Bocangel, were accused of the same charges and were also suspended, but they too survived efforts to remove them from office.
Earlier on Thursday, Peru’s Congress confirmed Kenji’s suspension by 58 votes to seven with 19 abstentions, shortly after officials had voided a Wednesday night ballot over a voting discrepancy.
Kenji decried the second suspension vote, blaming it on maneuvering by Keiko — whose Fuerza Popular (Popular Force) party controls Congress — and said he would take legal action.
Kenji will be investigated by prosecutors for alleged bribery and influence peddling in a bid to defeat an impeachment vote last December against then-president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.
Quid pro quo
Corruption-tainted Kuczynski survived an impeachment vote in Congress last December thanks to the abstentions of Kenji and his supporters, who broke ranks with his sister’s Fuerza Popular party.
In what was seen as a blatant quid pro quo, Alberto Fujimori was pardoned by Kuczynski just days later and released from prison, where he was serving a 25-year term for human rights abuses committed during his decade in power (1990-2000).
Since leaving prison in December, the ailing Fujimori, now 79, has publicly lamented that he has been unable to mend fences between his children.
The Fujimori soap opera is set to continue as the family’s political fortunes are played out in public. Peruvian media reported that the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, based in San Jose, Costa Rica, is due shortly to announce its ruling on an appeal filed against Fujimori’s pardon.
A defiant Kenji has vowed to battle on, telling Congress during the debate on his future late Wednesday: “If anyone believes that my political life ends here, they are totally wrong, because this is just a beginning.”
In two legislative elections, Kenji has been Congress’ biggest vote winner. His sister has twice run for the presidency, losing out last time to Kuczynski only by a hairsbreadth.
Despite being convicted for crimes against human rights and corruption, their father is still a venerated figure in Peru because of his record of defeating Shining Path extremists during his decade in power — as well as ending hyperinflation inherited from his predecessor Alan Garcia.
© Agence France-Presse