Peru's top court says Vizcarra's closure of Congress was legal

JANUARY 14, 2020 / 1:14 PM / UPDATED 24 MINUTES AGO

Marco Aquino
2 MIN READ

LIMA (Reuters) - In a win for Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra, the country’s top court ruled on Tuesday that his dissolution of Congress amid a long-running standoff with lawmakers was legal.

With four votes in favour and three votes against, the court said a claim that Vizcarra exceeded his powers by dissolving Congress on Sept. 30 was unfounded. The decision means legislative elections will move forward on Jan. 26.

Vizcarra dissolved Congress amid a protracted showdown with lawmakers over anti-corruption reforms. The move won him support among the armed forces, police and voters in the copper-rich nation.

In October, Peru’s Constitutional Tribunal unanimously voted to admit a lawsuit to determine whether Vizcarra exceeded his powers with the shutdown.

The dissolution of Congress had been rejected mostly by lawmakers from the right-wing Popular Force party of opposition leader Keiko Fujimori.

More:
https://uk.reuters.com/article/uk-peru-politics/perus-top-court-says-vizcarras-closure-of-congress-was-legal-idUKKBN1ZD2H6?rpc=401&

Keiko Fujimori's father, dictator Alberto Fujimori, is currently in prison for his human rights abuses, including a mass sterilization on Native Peruvian women, massacres, torture, and use of death squads.