A protester dressed as a judge shows a miniature copy of Peru's constitution and fake money, next to a woman holding a sign that reads in Spanish "Chavarry Get Out," referring to Peru's attorney general Pedro Chavarry, at San Martin Plaza in Lima, Peru, Thursday, Jan. 3, 2019. Chavarry on Wednesday reversed his dismissal of the lead investigators in a sweeping corruption probe into top officials, retreating in the face of a growing public outcry and a bid by the president that could remove him from office. (AP Photo/Martin Mejia)

LIMA, Peru - Peru's attorney general resigned on Tuesday amid accusations that he hindered a corruption probe involving Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.

In a letter presented to Peru's chief prosecutors, Chavarry said he was stepping down in order to preserve the autonomy of the Attorney General's Office and stop the country's president from intervening in other, independent branches of government.

Chavarry described himself as a "victim" of journalists, politicians and non-governmental organizations bent on having him removed from office and hounding him for performing his constitutional duties.

Chavarry has repeatedly clashed with President Martin Vizcarra since being appointed to the three-year position by an independent panel in July. But Chavarry stayed in his post thanks to the support of two mayor opposition parties, whose leaders are currently being investigated for allegedly taking bribes from Odebrecht.

On New Year's eve, Chavarry dismissed two popular prosecutors who led the Odebrecht corruption probe, accusing Jose Domingo Perez and Rafael Vela of blocking his request for information on the case. He also said Perez made public statements that put his objectivity in doubt.

But the dismissal sparked street protests in several cities in which demonstrators accused Chavarry of trying to protect corrupt officials and called for his resignation.

Vizcarra said the removal of the prosecutors would derail the investigation and immediately pushed for an overhaul of the Attorney General's Office, calling on congress to declare that office in a state of emergency.

Faced with those threats, Chavarry reinstated the prosecutors.

But as investigators turned their attention towards the attorney general and raided the offices of one of his closest aides, Chavarry decided that he could no longer keep his job.

"If I am the pretext for these illegal actions to be taken against the institution I represent, then it is best for me to step aside," Chavarry wrote in his resignation letter.

A congressional committee will now investigate whether Chavarry committed a series of crimes that include influence peddling, aiding criminal organizations and hindering corruption investigations.

The Odebrecht investigation will continue under the guidance of a temporarily appointed attorney general.

The far-reaching investigation includes 40 individual cases, more than 300 people and dozens of companies linked to Odebrecht projects in Peru.

The most important cases involve Keiko Fujimori — leader of Peru's most powerful opposition party — and former President Alan Garcia, who is prohibited from leaving Peru for 18 months while he is investigated.

Odebrecht has admitted in U.S. court filings that it paid $800 million in bribes to officials across Latin America, including $29 million in Peru.

News from © The Associated Press, 2019