Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra addresses the media outside Congress as he faces a second indictment on corruption charges in Lima, Peru, on November 9, 2020. REUTERS / Sebastian Castaneda / File Photo
Former Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra has been banned from holding public office for 10 years in a unanimous vote in the country’s congress after he allegedly jumped the queue to receive a COVID-19 vaccine.
Vizcarra was found guilty of influence peddling, collusion and misrepresentation in connection with the Peruvian VIP vaccine scandal, which saw dozens of ministers and public officials receive Sinopharm vaccines before they were publicly available in the country. . Read more
Congress approved its temporary ban on public office by 86 votes in favor and zero against.
He also disqualified former Health Minister Pilar Mazzetti from holding public office for eight years; and former Foreign Minister Elizabeth Astete for a year.
The two former ministers received the vaccine and resigned during the ensuing scandal. However, all three have denied using their positions to gain early access to vaccines.
Vizcarra said in February that he and his wife were inoculated in October of the previous year as volunteers at the Sinopharm trial (1099.HK) in Peru, a claim that the university that held the trial denied.
The former president took office in March 2018 with a promise to curb endemic corruption in public office and led the country until Congress accused him in November last year of separate corruption charges, which he continues to deny. .
He had to occupy a seat in Congress after the elections in Peru over the weekend, having obtained the largest number of votes cast by any legislator.
Sinopharm clinical trials in Peru took place between September and the end of 2020 with nearly 12,000 volunteers. In addition, local trial officials received an additional 3,200 doses intended for research-related staff, said host university Cayetano Heredia.
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