MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peruvian president said removing him from office would amount to a coup détat

The 79-year-old former Wall Street banker is facing an impeachment vote in the opposition-dominated Congress on Thursday over alleged bribe-taking

Peru's embattled President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said on Monday he was confident of surviving an impeachment vote later this week. “I know that Thursday will be fine,” the conservative leader said in a speech in the Amazonian city of Iquitos.

The 79-year-old former Wall Street banker is facing an impeachment vote in the opposition-dominated Congress on Thursday over alleged bribe-taking from the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.

“I'm not giving up, I am not giving in because my mission hasn't yet ended,” he said, while supporters chanted “PPK, PPK” -- his initials. “I also have strength because I do not let myself be kicked around by injustice.

We will always fight for the people against injustice and abuse, and lies,” he added.

In December, Kuczynski survived an impeachment vote in Congress over the same Odebrecht-related matter. He survived the first vote after getting support from lawmakers led by Kenji Fujimori, days before he pardoned his father Alberto Fujimori for human rights crimes committed while he was president.

On Sunday, Kuczynski said removing him would amount to a “coup d'etat” and tarnish Peru's image just before it is due to host the Summit of the Americas next month.

Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht has admitted spending millions to bribe government officials across Latin America to secure public works contracts. It said it paid five million dollars in fees to consulting companies linked to Kuczynski when he was a minister.