Overview

• Video from Juliaca shows Congressman Héctor Valer in a shoving, profanity-laced clash with reporter Max Lanza, who says Valer returned to spit in his face after being questioned about comments linking Puno protesters to Shining Path.
• Elvis Vergara, who leads Congress’s Ethics Committee, sent Valer a formal request for written explanations as the incident is evaluated for possible disciplinary action.
• Valer has rejected wrongdoing, saying he was assaulted, underwent a forensic medical exam and filed a criminal complaint, while also alleging the circulated clip was edited.
• In a television interview reported by El Comercio and Peru21, Valer said he does not regret his actions, even as he has denied spitting in other remarks and acknowledged calling the reporter “proterrorist.”
• Press organization IPYS condemned the aggression as a threat to free expression, and Congressman Alejandro Muñante urged the Ethics Committee to assess Valer’s conduct.