Head of Peru's judiciary quits amid crisis
LIMA - The president of Peru’s judiciary, Duberli Rodriguez, tendered his resignation on Thursday as an influence-peddling scandal has shaken the country’s justice system. The scandal broke nearly two weeks ago when local investigative news website IDL-Reporteros started publishing audio recordings of phone conversations in which judges appear to be discussing plans to trade favours, help convicted criminals and secure jobs for friends. Rodriguez, who has not been accused of any wrongdoing, quit his posts as the head of the Supreme Court and the president of the judiciary “because of the institutional crisis that the judiciary is going through,” according to his resignation letter that the judiciary posted on Twitter. Rodriguez did not immediately respond to requests for comment. One of his advisers was heard in one of the audio recordings talking with a judge accused of belonging to a criminal organisation. IDLReporteros ing later local and apologised broadcaster identified published in RPP. the an advisor, interview the record- who on Velasquez, al Earlier Council on the of Thursday, head Magistrates, of the Orlando Nation- which appoints prosecutors, and stepped oversees down, judges togeth- and er member with two panel, others amid on calls the for seven- their resignations. Velasquez denied any wrongdoing in a news conference on Thursday and said he and others had been unfairly criticised. Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra fired his justice minister, Salvador Heresi, on Friday after a local TV station released an audio of a phone conversation between the minister and a judge under investigation for influence peddling. Heresi said on Twitter that there was nothing improper or illegal about the conversation but agreed to step down to allow the government to focus on a pending judicial reform. The turmoil in the justice system is a fresh blow to trust in public institutions in Peru, after a graft scandal that broke in late 2017 led to the resignation of former president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in March. –