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Peru in crisis: Congress fails to appoint successor as interim president resigns

Monday, 16 November 2020 9:02 AM [ Last Update: Monday, 16 November 2020 9:02 AM ]

Handout picture released by the Peruvian Presidency shows Peru's interim president Manuel Merino announcing his resignation in a televised message from the Government Palace, on November 15, 2020. (Photo by AFP)

Peru is now without a president as the South American country's Congress has failed to appoint a new interim president after Manuel Merino announced his resignation amid mass opposition protests.

Merino, Congress chairman who had assumed the post of interim president after the sudden impeachment and ouster of former president Martin Vizcarra over bribery charges on Nov. 9, announced his resignation on Sunday.

Ever since Merino's appointment, Vizcarra's supporters launched mass rallies on a daily basis to protest the ex-president's ouster. The growing public anger eventually resulted in Merino announcing that he was stepping down on Sunday.

Merino's resignation followed an ultimatum from Congress for him to resign or face censure over the death of two protesters and the injury of about 100 others in Sunday's rallies which reportedly came as a result of police firing tear gas and rubber bullets.

Congress failed to name Merino's successor on Sunday.

Peru’s president impeached out of office over corruption

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Vizcarra, who denies any wrongdoing, has blasted the government's deadly clampdown on the protesters.

He tweeted, "I deeply regret the deaths that have occurred as a result of the repression of this illegal and illegitimate government."

Peru's prosecutor's office has now said that a probe was already underway into the two deaths that occurred during anti-government protests.

"The prosecutor's office opened a preliminary investigation against those who are responsible for the crime of homicide of Inti Sotelo and Jack Pintado and others in the context of serious human rights violations," the prosecutor's office said on its Twitter account on Sunday.

The state medical program EsSalud has confirmed that the two men died from gunshot wounds.

Also, the country's Constitutional Court has called on law enforcement agencies to report the whereabouts of more than 40 demonstrators who have gone missing since the protests.

Peru's National Human Rights coordinator said 112 demonstrators had been injured by police. Health officials said some of those who were injured had inhaled tear gas and at least nine had gunshot wounds.

Meanwhile, Peruvian rights groups have lodged complaints against Merino and Prime Minister Antero Flores-Araoz over the deaths.

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