Unrest continues to rage in Lima, Peru, after interim Peruvian President Manuel Merino resigned five days after taking office.
Then-President Martin Vizcarra was removed from office the previous Monday by a 105-19 vote of legislators, primarily over corruption concerns, according to Reuters. Merino took his place the following day, beginning a term that was meant to last until July of 2021 but came to a halt just five days later. (RELATED: Chinese Coronavirus Vaccine Given To Thousands Of People Halted In Brazil After ‘Serious Adverse Event’)
Merino urged calm upon taking office, but protests quickly erupted and ultimately led to his ouster as well. Lawmakers said they would impeach Merino if he did not resign after two protesters against his newly formed government were killed by police earlier in November, Reuters reported Monday.
Thousands of people have taken to the streets in Peru venting their frustrations at the impeachment of centrist leader Martin Vizcarra. pic.twitter.com/5LvgiDW7Qq
— DW News (@dwnews) November 16, 2020
Peruvian lawmakers are set to vote Monday afternoon to install their third president of the last seven days after an overnight vote to give power to Rocío Silva-Santisteban was unsuccessful, Reuters reports. Seventy-six-year-old lawmaker Francisco Sagasti is expected to secure the presidency in Monday afternoon’s vote, according to Reuters. (RELATED: Armenian Prime Minister Announces Surrender In Nagorno-Karabakh, Protests Erupt)
All four of Peru’s presidents since 2011 have faced criminal corruption-related accusations or been pushed out of office prior to completing a full term. The country is now on the verge of crisis as the economy faces its biggest contraction in 100 years, according to Reuters. The South American nation also has one of the highest death rates in the world for COVID-19.