Peruvian Prime Minister Ana Jara Velasquez Resigns Following Espionage Scandal
Peruvian Prime Minister Ana Jara Velasquez will resign her post after the Peruvian congress censured her over her handling of an espionage scandal.
Without control of congress, the ruling coalition could not save the embattled politician.
The Peruvian congress censured Prime Minister Jara on Monday following a no confidence vote, according to the BBC. As per the Peruvian constitution, she must now resign and a new prime minister must be chosen.
The vote succeeded with a majority of 72 against 42 with two abstentions. Most of the opposition parties voted against the Gana Peru (Peru Wins) coalition to which Prime Minister Jara and President Ollanta Humala belong.
The prime minister's troubles began earlier in March when the magazine Correo Semanal published an article in which it claimed the country's Intelligence Directorate, or DINI, had been spying on various journalists and opposition politicians, as well as some politicians of the ruling party.
Although the snooping began before the Humala administration, Correo Semanal explains "the DINI's searches turned frenzied and covered politicians of all parties, businessmen, journalists, and thousands of people" following President Humala's ascension to power.
The DINI, Correo Semanal revealed and Peruvian officials confirmed, used financial information from the national property registry.
DINI director Ivan Kamisaki was removed by Prime Minister Jara soon after the allegations surfaced. However, this was not enough for the opposition. President Humala's popularity has been on the decline, with his approval rating sinking to 22 percent, according to Ipsos Peru.
The Peruvian president has said he and his administration will continue working in spite of the removal of Prime Minister Jara, according to the state news agency Andina.
"I regret a such act was carried out yesterday, which we respect because it is part of the democratic game, but which we consider as an injustice," he said to reporters, thanking Prime Minister Jara for her work.
Legislators from the Gana Peru coalition, which includes the ruling nationalists, expressed their support for Prime Minister Jara, reports Peru21.
Prime Minister Jara was the sixth person to hold the office since President Humala took office four years ago. He must now choose a new prime minister who must be approved by the opposition-held congress.
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