Another new President?
Francisco Sagasti is the third to take the reins of the Andean country within a week. The 76-year-old centrist has replaced Manuel Merino since Monday, who threw in the towel after five days under pressure from the streets. Merino, former President of Congress himself had just replaced Martin Vizcarra, dismissed Monday, November 9 by a motion of censure of the deputies.
The ejection of the popular Vizcarra, for alleged bribes received in 2014 during his tenure as governor, provoked the ire of demonstrators, who gathered every evening to demand the departure of his successor Merino.
But the roots of the demonstrations run deeper …
The crowd gathered in the capital Lima was especially upset by the instability of the institutions and the arbitrariness of Congress, where the parties would use impeachment to expand their power.
For many young Peruvians who have taken to the streets, the removal of Vizcarra while his term ended in July 2021, only further destabilizes the pays, stuck in the Covid crisis and the collapse of its economy.
And corruption does not help …
It is the breeding ground for instability and protests. Merino himself, the initiator of a first impeachment attempt against Vizcarra in September, has been pinned for conflict of interest. Other parties have viewed impeachment favorably, in order to expand their power and protect some of their congressional officials prosecuted for corruption.
Evil is old: the six Presidents of the last thirty years have been splashed. From Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000) to Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (2016-2018), all are serving or have served a sentence. Alan Garcia (2006-2011), accused of receiving bribes from the Brazilian company Obedrecht, committed suicide in 2019, during his arrest.
What is the street waiting for?
Francisco Sagasti must ensure the transition until the first round of the presidential election, next April. Coming from the only party that did not vote for the dismissal of Vizcarra (Partido Morado), his designation by Congress was celebrated with a concert of horns in the capital.
But the new President will above all have to respond to pressing demands for justice after the violent repression of demonstrations. Two protesters died in Lima on Saturday and dozens of others were injured during the historic rally that prompted Manuel Merino to resign. Yesterday, the National Human Rights Coordination, which brings together 82 NGOs, reported two missing persons.
The prosecution has already opened an investigation against Merino, his ex-Prime Minister and his ex-Minister of the Interior for abuse of power, homicide and enforced disappearance in a context of human rights violations.
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