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| - Peru's Congress on Monday voted to try again to impeach President Martin Vizcarra for alleged "moral incapacity" after he survived a first attempt last month, setting a date of November 9 for him to defend himself. "The motion to vacate the presidency of the republic has been admitted," said the first vice president of Congress, Luis Valdez. The trial, for alleged acts of corruption in 2014 when Vizcarra was governor of the Moquegua region in southern Peru, was approved by 60 votes to 40 with 18 abstentions. The allegations stem from claims by several businessmen that they paid bribes to Vizcarra in exchange for public works contracts in Moquegua. The Peruvian leader last month survived an impeachment vote in Congress that was launched over allegations that he told aides to hide details from congressional investigators of the controversial hiring of a popular singer as a paid cultural advisor. Public support for the president -- who has waged an anti-corruption crusade since taking office in 2018 -- has remained high throughout his battle in Congress, with eight out of 10 Peruvians wanting him to continue until the end of his term. The new motion to impeach was lodged on October 20 by the Union for Peru (UPP) party. Vizcarra blasted his opponents for their latest attack, saying efforts to remove him were "destabilizing the country" which is fighting an acute economic slump due to the hard-hit South American country's coronavirus shutdown. "I am sure that Congress is not going to fall into the hands of a political group that is seeking chaos," Vizcarra told reporters. Vizcarra's opponents require the support of 52 of the 130 members of Congress to proceed to the impeachment trial. Thereafter, they need a two-thirds vote, or 87 congressmen, to remove the president from office. State prosecutors said last month that they intend to open a corruption investigation against the president once his term ends in July next year. cm/dga/db/st
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