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LIMA, Peru (AP) — The latest on impeachment proceedings against Peru's president (all times local):
11:20 p.m.
Peru's president has survived an impeachment vote called by opposition lawmakers who sought to oust him over ties to the Brazilian construction giant implicated in the region's biggest corruption scandal.
Peruvian lawmakers rejected removing President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in a vote late Thursday that came after 10 hours of debate and the leader's own forceful defense.
The 79-year-old former Wall Street banker came under fire after an opposition-led investigative committee revealed documents showing Odebrecht made $782,000 in payments to Kuczynski's private consulting firm more than a decade ago. The payments were made during years Kuczynski served as a Peruvian government minister.
Odebrecht is at the center of Latin America's largest corruption scandal, having attempted paying millions of dollars in bribes to win public works contracts.
The president repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, telling lawmakers that the rushed impeachment process was a threat to Peru's democracy.
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11 p.m.
Peruvian lawmakers have wrapped up their debate over whether President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski should be impeached and are expected to begin voting on the matter soon.
Debate ended very late Thursday night after 10 hours of impassioned speeches by legislators decrying and defending the president.
The 79-year-old former Wall Street banker is fighting for his political survival after an opposition-led investigative committee revealed documents showing his private consulting firm received $782,000 in payments from the Brazilian construction giant at the center of Latin America's big corruption scandal. The decade-old payments coincided with years in which Kuczynski was a government minister.
The president urged lawmakers to keep him office in a forceful defense earlier Thursday, saying he had no involvement in his firm at the time.
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3:45 p.m.
Lawmakers in Peru are debating whether or not to oust President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.
One-by-one, supporters and opponents are making their case before a final vote to decide whether Kuczynski should be impeached.
Opposition legislator Milagros Takayama told lawmakers that citizens deserve a Peru "that is free of corruption and ineptitude."
Kuczynski is under fire after an opposition-led commission revealed documents showing his private consulting firm received $782,000 in payments from the Brazilian construction giant at the center of Latin America's biggest corruption scandal.
Kuczynski testified earlier Thursday in his defense, telling lawmakers he had no involvement in the firm while serving in government.
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11:45 a.m.
The lawyer representing Peru's president is telling lawmakers that instead of impeaching Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, they should investigate him.
In a two-hour speech Thursday, Alberto Borea urged lawmakers to punish the president only after determining if he is indeed guilty of a crime.
Pointing to the stoic president seated beside him, Borrea said, "Don't crucify him before then."
Kuczynski is facing an impeachment vote eight days after an opposition-led investigation revealed documents showing Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht made payments to the president's private consulting firm.
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10 a.m.
Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski says the nation's democracy is at risk with a pending impeachment vote that could remove him from office.
In his initial remarks to lawmakers Thursday, Kuczynski said he came to look them in the eye and state, "I am not corrupt and I have not lied."
The president is presenting a detailed account of the $782,000 in payments provided to his Westfield Capital consulting firm by Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.
Odebrecht is at the center of Latin America's largest corruption scandal.
The payments were made over a decade ago.
Kuczynski is being given at least two hours to state his case.
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9:30 a.m.
Peruvian President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski has arrived at the Andean nation's parliament to testify in his defense before lawmakers vote on whether or not he should be removed from office.
Opposition lawmakers are intent on ousting the 79-year-old former Wall Street banker after revelations his private consulting business received payments from Odebrecht.
The Brazilian construction giant is at the center of Latin America's largest corruption scandal.
Kuczynski has said he had no management duties at his consulting firm Westfield Capital when it received $782,000 in payments between 2004 and 2007.
During much of that time, he was a high-ranking government minister.
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