Lima, Jan 10 (EFE). - Peruvian presidential candidate Mario Vizcarra, brother of former President Martín Vizcarra, held his first electoral event on Friday while fighting to stay in the presidential race and to reclaim the honor of his brother, who was sentenced to prison for corruption in a ruling deemed unfair and arbitrary.
In his speech, Mario Vizcarra accused the conservative parties that dominate Congress (Parliament) of having "set up a puppet" (invented a case) that led to his brother's imprisonment, and also attempting to disqualify his presidential candidacy by finding that he had a conviction for embezzlement (misappropriation of public funds) 21 years ago that he has already served.
"That corrupt mafia thought they were done with Vizcarra, but they didn't know they had a brother who will always defend him. We are going to avenge that blood. They said they didn't know what my face looked like, well now they know who I am," remarked the former head of state's brother.
The candidate for the Peru Primero party recalled that Vizcarra, sentenced to 14 years in prison for receiving bribes while he was governor of the southern region of Moquegua (2011-2014), had already faced as president the parties that control Congress, led by fujimorism, when he closed the chamber in 2019 in opposition to the political and judicial reforms promoted by the then-ruler.
Mario Vizcarra stated that in his team there are prepared people to face the rise of organized crime, after insecurity became the main concern of Peruvians for these elections.
Peru's presidential candidate Mario Vizcarra (c), brother of former Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra, reacts during a rally this Friday, in Lima (Peru).
He also requested a minute of silence on the third anniversary of the so-called Juliaca massacre, where eighteen people, including several minors, allegedly died from police gunfire during the repression against the imprisonment of President Pedro Castillo (2021-2022) and the rise to power of his Vice President Dina Boluarte (2022-2025), who ruled until October supported by Congress.
"We are not going to forget that. When we come to power we are going to settle accounts," warned Mario Vizcarra, describing Boluarte as a "puppet" put in place by "the Congress mafia."
Before the candidate's speech, and under shouts of 'Vizcarra freedom,' a video apparently generated with artificial intelligence (AI) of Martín Vizcarra was projected, who emphasized that his party "is not manipulated" and "they will not break us."
There are 35 presidential candidates registered for Peru's presidential elections so far, mostly from the right, with a first round called for April 12 and a potential second round on June 6.
