Corona Daily 179: Privileged Peruvians

Three years ago, in March 2018, Martin Vizcarra, the new President of Peru, was a breath of clean and non-corrupt air. A former regional governor with no political party and no connections, he sympathized with Peruvian citizens furious at the series of corruption scandals. In the previous months, wiretapped phone calls between judges, criminals and politicians had revealed how the three parties colluded to rob the people and remain powerful and free.

Vizcarra replaced Kuchynski.

Just 19 months into his planned five-year tenure, Pedro Kuczynski had resigned due to links with Odebrecht, a Brazilian construction giant at the centre of Latin America’s biggest corruption scandal.

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In recent history, Alberto Fujimori, Peru’s President (1990-2000) was convicted for his role in killings and kidnappings, illegal searches and seizures, embezzlement in millions. Under the nation’s law, all sentences run concurrently, so he got away with a sentence of 25 years. Fujimori’s tenure in prison would be much longer than his presidency.

Martin Vizcarra shared the indignation of the public. He promised to be Peru’s first moral president.

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Impeachments happen not only in America. On 9 November 2020, Martin Vizcarra was impeached over corruption allegations and mishandling of the pandemic. Accused of accepting bribes for $800,000 as a governor, he duly denied the accusations and said he was leaving with a clean conscience. Many citizens and observers felt this was not an amount that was grave enough to warrant impeachment. Each politician, particularly the President, must be given some allowance for corruption. Anyway, Vizcarra was removed on grounds of what Peru calls “moral incapacity”.

Manuel Merino, the next president, lasted five days. In the polls, 72% of Peruvians disapproved of Merino. Large scale protests began. Heavy-handed police response resulted in the death of a few protestors. Merino’s ministers resigned, and he followed. He is being investigated for possible violations of human rights.

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In December, Peru crossed the figure of one million cases. With 44,000 deaths till date, Peru is one of the worst suffering Latin American countries. Despite that, not a single vaccine has been administered.

Local media did some investigative work, and found out that the former President Martin Vizcarra and his wife were secretly vaccinated in October, while still in office. Vizcarra tried to say they were part of a clinical trial, but the university in charge of the trials denied that claim. (In any case, to avoid conflict of interest, decision makers are usually not allowed to take part in a trial).

The Chinese makers of Sinopharm confirmed they had given a complimentary 2000 doses in addition to the trial doses. Where did those doses disappear?

Other than he and his wife, Vizcarra admitted his brother was also vaccinated.

On 12 February, Pilar Mazzetti, the health minister resigned. Just a few days before, she had publicly declared she would be immunized only after everyone working in the health system is vaccinated. “The captain is the last to leave the ship. Those of us at the head of the institutions have to set an example to wait for our moment properly” she had said. The public who admired her were shocked to learn she had secretly taken the shots.

On 15 February, Elizabeth Astete, Peru’s foreign minister, resigned. In January, she had authorized the purchase of 1 million vaccine doses of Sinopharm, and secretly taken a shot soon thereafter.  She realized it was a mistake, and to atone it promises not to take a second shot secretly.

Until now, 487 people including the former prime minister’s family, several former and current ministers, senior government officials have been found to have taken the shots secretly since September. The current president Francisco Sagasti said Peruvians should feel outraged about the situation that jeopardizes the effort of the frontline health workers. The full list of those vaccinated has been sent to an investigation commission by the new Health Minister.

Oscar Ugarte is the fifth health minister of Peru since the pandemic began.

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Ravi