Peruvian Vice President Steps Down in Response to Corruption Charges

In the latest in a series of changes to Peruvian President Ollanta Humala’s cabinet, his second vice president, Congressman Omar Chehade, resigned yesterday. Chehade stepped down from his largely ceremonial position as a backup to the first vice president in the wake of a corruption scandal. He allegedly  asked a police commander to evict protesting workers outside of a food processing plant without a court order as a favor to his brother, who has ties with a company that wants to take it over. 

As the Wall Street Journal notes, these accusations were a major annoyance to Humala, who campaigned on a platform of reducing corruption. The president, who does not have the authority to dismiss either of his vice presidents, first called on Chehade to resign in a public announcement in November. Since then, he has clung to office, insisting upon his innocence.

La Republica reports that Chehade, who is a congressman with Humala’s Gana Peru party, will return to his seat after a temporary ban on holding public office ends in late May.

As mentioned in the December 12^th post, Humala reshuffled his cabinet late last year, replacing his prime minister with ex-army officer Oscar Valdes. This, paired with Humala’s decision to declare a state of emergency in Cajamarcas in response to anti-mining protests there, sparked fears that his government was becoming more “militarized.”

However, it seems that the move has been popular amongst the general population. Reuters cites a new Ipsos Apoyo poll, Humala’s approval rating has shot up seven points since the shakeup. According to the news agency, the pollster also claims that the “decision to declare a state of emergency in Cajamarca for several days, giving the police and army special powers to quash an environmental protest against the project was broadly backed by Peruvians.”

News Briefs

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·         The AP reports on suspicions about the death of poet Pablo Neruda, who died while seeking cancer treatment just 12 days after Augusto Pinochet took power. Neruda’s former driver has come forward and accused the Pinochet regime of having him poisoned in order to rid itself of a powerful critic. The Chilean Communist Party is currently fighting in court to have his body exhumed and tested, and a ruling on the request is expected to come soon.