The Peruvian Congress has appointed a new president who becomes the country’s third head of state in the space of a week.
Congressman Francisco Sagasti, a 76-year-old engineer and aca- demic, will head the country until a presidential election next year, according to reports from the BBC on Tuesday. Many Peruvians, how- ever, no longer trust the legitimacy of any president Congress selects.
In just a week, the Peruvian Congress removed President Martin Vizcarra from office, Manuel Merino was appointed in his place, and Merino stepped down after relentless protests across the country. Peru faces a political crisis with no acting president, as leadership is urgently needed to manage the coronavirus pandemic. With Merino out, the Congress says it will appoint a new president. However, many Peruvians no longer trust in the legitimacy of a president they select.
The crisis began last week when the Congress removed Vizcarra, as “morally incapable” of holding office due to corruption allegations against him. They named the speaker of the Congress, Manuel Merino, in his place. However, many members of Congress are under investigation for corruption themselves. Analysts say removing Vizcarra from office is a form of retaliation for his investigations of corruption. The “moral incapacity” clause the Congress used is the latest act in an ongoing power struggle with the executive branch.
Protests grew during the week and diverse sectors of society spoke out against Merino’s appointment as president. Two people were killed in Lima over the weekend after police fired tear gas into the crowds and clashed with protesters. Following the deaths, on Sunday morning Merino stepped down.
“Every day the mistrust, uncertainty, and insecurity that our population suffers irreversibly damages the progress of Peru,” the Peruvian bishops’ conference wrote in a statement on Saturday. “Here it is not about supporting or defending an ex-president, it is defending the very essence of democracy, which means listening to the people who have been peacefully protesting,” said Cardinal Pedro Barreto, Archbishop of Huancayo.
The Conference called for the Constitutional Tribunal to determine whether the actions of the Congress were legal.