With that, the President concluded a speech in which he refuted the basis of the proposal, pointing out that it was based on journalistic versions and uncorroborated testimonies or was at a preliminary investigation stage.
The motion “has not a single argument validly supporting it, being a compilation of versions from one section of the press” and statements without any corroboration, as well as speculation, imaginary connections, “unsupported by fact or in law”.
After summarizing the project’s 20 arguments into four points, he pointed out that the text refers to facts that Parliament had already ruled out when it rejected the first vacancy application in December 2021, so it was not appropriate to repeat them for the right not to be prosecuted and convicted twice for the same thing.
According to Castillo, other allegations are based on facts made by other people and others are investigated by prosecutors and Parliament without reaching any conclusions and new facts are included that do not fit the vacancy.
In his speech, he also pointed out that since his election, the vacancy has become a “central axis of the political and journalistic agenda” that must not be allowed to continue, and called for “putting this turbulent environment behind us”.
He stressed that the refusal of the application would not mean the end of the ongoing investigation and reiterated his willingness to continue to cooperate in the investigation into alleged corruption and other allegations.
Following his plea, the President’s defense was extensively assisted by his attorney, José Félix Palomino, whose speech was interrupted minutes later by an incident caused by a far-right Congresswoman, Vivian Olivos, holding a sign that read ‘Vacancia! already!”.
Lawmakers from the ruling Peru Libre party called for the cartel to withdraw and Olivos refused, after which a bitter discussion ensued and Congress President Maricarmen Alva suspended the session for more than half an hour until the impasse was broken.
After the attorney completed his dissertation, the entire Congress entered into a lengthy debate on the motion.
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