Former president Martín Vizcarra amidst controversy over the purchase of rapid tests: between the report from Congress and the judicial investigation. The importance of transparency and accountability in Peru.

Former President Martín Vizcarra has once again become the target of political controversy in Peru due to a report from Congress that accused him in 2013 for the purchase of rapid tests in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This report, prepared by the Congress's Oversight Committee, concluded that Vizcarra was responsible and should be constitutionally accused of the crime of collusion and prosecuted judicially. These accusations are based on a series of events related to the acquisition of 1 million 400 thousand rapid tests during his term. The purchase of these tests took place despite recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), which advocated for the use of molecular or PCR tests for COVID-19 detection. According to the Oversight Committee's report, Vizcarra's government abruptly changed its detection policy to include rapid tests, without technical or legal support backing this decision. One key point of the investigation was a meeting held on March 18 at the Ministry of Economy and Finance headquarters, attended by the former president, company representatives, and officials. During this meeting, the acquisition of rapid tests would have been discussed with the participation of private companies interested in contracting with the State for the sale of these supplies. The report alleges possible favoritism towards these companies in the acquisition process. Furthermore, it is indicated that Martín Vizcarra and his former Health and Economy ministers would have arranged the purchase of the rapid tests, deviating from the recommendations of international organizations and the country's health experts. This led to the recommendation of filing a constitutional accusation against Vizcarra and the former ministers for the crime of collusion, which would involve lifting their parliamentary immunity and referring the case to the prosecution for a judicial process. However, the investigation by the Office of the Attorney General did not find evidence of bias or irregularities in the acquisition of the rapid tests. After analyzing testimonies and documents related to the purchasing process, the prosecutor concluded that the procedure was carried out following the established rules and conditions for direct contracts, and no criminal conduct was detected by the investigated officials. It is important to note that while the Congress's report recommends constitutionally accusing Martín Vizcarra and others involved, the Attorney General's Office determined that there is no evidence to support the collusion accusations. This discrepancy between the Legislative and Judicial branches reflects the complexity of addressing corruption cases and accusations in the political sphere, where interpretations can vary significantly. In the midst of these accusations and differing opinions, it is crucial for justice to act impartially and based on solid evidence to ensure transparency and accountability in public service. The Peruvian population expects corruption cases to be thoroughly investigated and for those responsible, if any, to be brought to justice to be held accountable for their actions. The controversy surrounding the purchase of rapid tests during Martín Vizcarra's administration highlights the importance of transparency and integrity in public administration, as well as the need to strengthen control and oversight mechanisms to prevent and combat corruption at all government levels. It is essential to clarify the facts and reach a conclusion based on evidence to ensure justice and legitimacy in the Peruvian political system.