Peru's vice president digs in heels

Ignoring calls for his resignation, including those from his boss President Ollanta Humala, Peru's second Vice President Omar Chehade on Tuesday said he will not step down as he continues to fight influence-peddling charges.

In a statement, the embattled Chehade said he will take a leave of absence instead, sidestepping calls by Humala and lawmakers to resign.

The ongoing investigation into allegations that Chehade tried to negotiate a police raid at a sugar plant on behalf of a wealthy family has marred the first 100 days of the nationalist leader's government.

Retired Police General Guillermo Arteta, a former Lima police chief, has testified that he was pressured to organize a raid against the workers and administrators at the Andahuasi sugar plant in favor of the influential Wong family.

The vice president was called before a parliamentary committee Monday to explain the allegations, which he denied. Chehade, himself a former anti-corruption prosecutor, is also being investigated by Peru's Attorney General's Office.

In a statement that was sent to different media outlets across Peru, the 40-year-old Chehade wrote that "in order to help channel the implementation of the government's social programs, I have decided [not to serve] in any official capacity [until the investigations are concluded]."

On Sunday, Humala made the call for Chehade to step aside. "We believe that the best thing is for him to put an end to all this, but [the decision] has to come from him," the president said during an address to mark the first 100 days of his administration.

Because Chehade was elected by voters, Humala has no clear power under Peruvian law to sack him, even though some legal experts argue that he does.

Other analysts say that Chehade has no legal standing to take a leave of absence. Víctor García Toma, former chief justice of Peru's Constitutional Court, said that the only option he has is to resign, which would not be interpreted as pleading guilty to the charges, the Lima daily El Comercio reported Wednesday.

"[His] statement says that he will continue holding office but he will not carry out any duties. In other words, it is a type of resignation, but one that hasn't been formalized. It doesn't make sense," constitutional lawyer Samuel Abad told El Comercio.

Last month, Gustavo Gorriti, a well-respected journalist, published allegations that Chehade met with two top police generals at a Lima restaurant to discuss throwing a court case over the sugar plant in favor of the Wong family. The Andahuasi plant, which belongs to the Wongs, is under a protective judicial order until the labor dispute case can be resolved.

Arteta, one of the police generals who met with the vice president, said that Chehade had told him that the Wong family would pay to mobilize 5,000 officers. But he declined to take part in the operation without a court order.

While acknowledging the meeting in the restaurant, Chehade has denied that such a conversation was held.