Peru's Congress banned former president Martín Vizcarra, following allegations of receiving the COVID-19 vaccine by jumping and cutting the queue for the said jab. The former president of the country was banned by the members of the congress in a unanimous vote of 86, Reuters reported.

It can be remembered that the ex-president was reported to receive two shots of COVID-19 vaccines in October 2020. Apart from Vizcarra, his family, government consultants, cabinet members, and lobbyists also received the COVID-19 jab despite the vaccine queue. The vaccine scandal in Peru was called "vaccine-gate."

Peru Congress on Ex-President Vizcarra

Because of the unanimous decision anchored from the vaccine scandal he has participated in, Reuters noted that the Peruvian Congress temporarily banned Vizcarra from taking public office for about 10 years.

This means that the ex-president will not be able to occupy the deputy seat he won during the legislative elections which were held last Sunday, at the same time as the first round of presidential elections, France24 reported.

However, Vizcarra noted that the decision of Congress is not fair. The former president disagreed with the decision of Congress to ban him from taking public office.

"This is not over, we will defend ourselves in all instances until this illegal and unconstitutional decision is reversed," said Vizcarra's translated tweet from his account. Vizcarra also noted that Congress has lost its "legitimacy" as it dethrones political enemies through few votes. Earlier in the year, the former president claimed that he and his wife took the Sinopharm vaccine last October as volunteers for the trial in Peru. However, the university that hosted the trial denied his claims.

Apart from Vizcarra, two public officials were also banned by Congress from taking public office. Former Health Minister Pilar Mazetti was not allowed to hold public office for eight years. On the other hand, former Foreign Minister Elizabeth Mastete was banned from holding public office for a year.

Both former ministers participated in the vaccine scandal which made them resign from their post. However, both former ministers, including the president, denied that they have used their positions to get the jab against coronavirus.

Peru's Former President

The former president took public office in March 2018 as he promises to eliminate corruption among offices. However, he was impeached by Congress in November 2020 for separate corruption charges. Vizcarra also denied the allegations.

Peru's vaccine scandal was estimated to be the participation of about 500 people cutting the line or queue for the COVID-19 vaccine, according to a report from The Conversation. The reported people were able to acquire a "courtesy" dose of the Sinopharm vaccine while still negotiating with the company.

"The Plenary of Congress incurs the crime of abuse of authority by today's session," said Vizcarra in another tweet. The former president of Peru also noted that Congress did not allow him to exercise his right to defend himself, emphasizing that the group violated due process.

The former president of Peru has shared with reporters in Lima that he has no doubt the situation he's in will be reversed.

WATCH: Nearly 500 people secretly vaccinated in Peru - from Associated Press