Peru's President Pedro resigns

Peru's President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski announced his resignation on Thursday in an address to the nation, the day before he was to face an impeachment vote in Congress.

The 79-year-old former Wall Street banker, under fire over his links to Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht, denied allegations of bribetaking but said his resignation was "the best thing for the country."

"Faced with this difficult situation that unfairly makes me appear guilty, I think the best thing for the country is for me to resign the presidency of the republic," he said in the televised address, which showed him seated at a polished conference table with his cabinet standing grimfaced behind him. "I do not want to be an obstacle, for the country to continue suffering with the uncertainty of these recent times," said the president, who survived a previous impeachment vote in December. Vice President Martin Vizcarra, who is currently serving as Peru's ambassador to Canada, is likely to replace Kuczynski to avoid early elections at a time of widespread voter discontent with political parties. Pressure built on Kuczynski to resign throughout Wednesday after the opposition alleged the embattled president was trying to buy votes ahead of the impeachment ballot. Lawmakers from Keiko Fujimori's Popular Force party released recordings of her brother Kenji and others apparently negotiating public works contracts with a government official, and said it was proof that Kuczynski was trying to buy votes, reports AFP.