on Thursday afternoon approved the report that recommends the ban from holding public office of former President Martin Vizcarra (2018-2020) for 10 years, ex-Health Minister Pilar Mazzetti for 8 years, and former Foreign Affairs Minister Elizabeth Astete for one (1) year over the irregular vaccination against COVID-19 with doses intended for researchers in a clinical study.
The disqualification against Vizcarra was approved with 26 votes in favor, zero against, and none abstention; followed by that of Mazzetti with 25 votes in favor, zero against, and zero abstentions; while that of Astete with 24 in favor, one against, and zero abstentions.
Congressman Jim Ali Mamani —rapporteur on the case— said that Vizcarra, in his capacity as former President of the Republic, incurred six constitutional infractions by having secretly vaccinated against COVID-19.
In addition, the legislator said that the former Head of State had used this position to have his wife and brother inoculated in an irregular manner, and lied to the country by pointing out that he had been a volunteer for clinical trials.
For the
former Health Minister Pilar Mazzetti, the report proposes the disqualification for 8 years from the exercise of public function for violation of the Constitution, since she allegedly benefited from two doses of the vaccine and lied about this condition.
In the case of
former Minister Elizabeth Astete, Congressman Mamani assured that she had violated two articles of the Constitution, but admitted having been vaccinated, provided information on the actions of other former officials, and had not arranged her vaccination. For this reason, the document proposed one year of disqualification.
Later, the
Permanent Commission approved to designate Mamani as a member of the accusing committee, which must support the constitutional complaint during a Congress' plenary session for this to come into force or not.
Defense of those involved
In his defense, former President Vizcarra said that the subcommittee had not respected due process, that the disqualification for 10 years (the maximum sanction), and that the charges against him show a political persecution and a pretext to remove him from the electoral contest.