Peru's under-fire attorney general Pedro Chavarry resigned on Tuesday amid allegations he sought to derail a massive corruption probe involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.
Chavarry, who has repeatedly clashed with President Martin Vizcarra since his appointment in July, was immediately replaced by Zoraida Avalos, who will take over for 60 days before a new attorney general is elected.
"I declare a state of emergency at the public prosecutions office, with the purpose of recovering the trust of the citizens in our institution," Avalos said.
Among her priorities will be "supporting specialized prosecutors" investigating the Odebrecht scandals, she said, adding that she had taken over the job "in difficult and complex circumstances."
Chavarry was accused of obstructing investigations into alleged Odebrecht bribery payments to top politicians by dismissing two key prosecutors investigating the case.
He was forced to reinstate them after the dismissals sparked street protests in the capital Lima and other cities last week.
But investigators then turned their attention to Chavarry himself for alleged influence peddling and aiding criminal organizations.
The street protests have also been driven by Chavarry's alleged links to a judicial corruption ring which came to light shortly after he took up his position.
"If I am the pretext for continuing these illegal acts against the institution that I represent as the nation's prosecutor, I have decided, out of respect for my institution, the love of God and my family, to step aside," Chavarry said in a letter of resignation.
Vizcarra has made the fight against corruption one of his main priorities since taking over as president in March 2018, and has called on parliament to back an emergency overhaul of the attorney general's office.
Brazil's Odebrecht has acknowledged being at the center of a massive graft scandal, handing out more than $750 million in bribes across 12 mostly Latin American countries to secure infrastructure contracts -- $29 million in Peru alone.
Peru's last four presidents -- Alejandro Toledo, Alan Garcia, Ollanta Humala and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski -- have been linked to illicit Odebrecht payments.
All four are under investigation, while Toledo, currently living in the United States, has been formally charged with taking a $20 million Odebrecht bribe.
Peru’s under-fire attorney general Pedro Chavarry resigned on Tuesday amid allegations he sought to derail a massive corruption probe involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.
Chavarry, who has repeatedly clashed with President Martin Vizcarra since his appointment in July, was immediately replaced by Zoraida Avalos, who will take over for 60 days before a new attorney general is elected.
“I declare a state of emergency at the public prosecutions office, with the purpose of recovering the trust of the citizens in our institution,” Avalos said.
Among her priorities will be “supporting specialized prosecutors” investigating the Odebrecht scandals, she said, adding that she had taken over the job “in difficult and complex circumstances.”
Chavarry was accused of obstructing investigations into alleged Odebrecht bribery payments to top politicians by dismissing two key prosecutors investigating the case.
He was forced to reinstate them after the dismissals sparked street protests in the capital Lima and other cities last week.
But investigators then turned their attention to Chavarry himself for alleged influence peddling and aiding criminal organizations.
The street protests have also been driven by Chavarry’s alleged links to a judicial corruption ring which came to light shortly after he took up his position.
“If I am the pretext for continuing these illegal acts against the institution that I represent as the nation’s prosecutor, I have decided, out of respect for my institution, the love of God and my family, to step aside,” Chavarry said in a letter of resignation.
Vizcarra has made the fight against corruption one of his main priorities since taking over as president in March 2018, and has called on parliament to back an emergency overhaul of the attorney general’s office.
Brazil’s Odebrecht has acknowledged being at the center of a massive graft scandal, handing out more than $750 million in bribes across 12 mostly Latin American countries to secure infrastructure contracts — $29 million in Peru alone.
Peru’s last four presidents — Alejandro Toledo, Alan Garcia, Ollanta Humala and Pedro Pablo Kuczynski — have been linked to illicit Odebrecht payments.
All four are under investigation, while Toledo, currently living in the United States, has been formally charged with taking a $20 million Odebrecht bribe.
