Political crisis in Peru: Franciso Sagasti takes over the presidency – Latin America – International

Centrist Francisco Sagasti was sworn in on Tuesday as Peru’s new president with the challenge of putting an end to the political crisis that is shaking the Andean country and take it to the April 2021 elections, but with the support of outraged citizens who brought down its short-lived predecessor, Manuel Merino.

(You may be interested: Francisco Sagasti, the new president who takes over the reins of Peru)

The 76-year-old engineer and academic, who has held technical positions in the revolutionary government of the armed forces and executive positions at the World Bank, was sworn in at a plenary session of Congress, who elected him on Monday in a vote in which he was the only candidate.

“I swear to the country and to all Peruvians that I will hold the office of president,” said the president, who became the third to hold office in eight days, a reflection of the institutional weakness of the Latin American country.

The political crisis in Peru was unleashed on November 9 by the same Congress, when he fired popular president Martín Vizcarra (center-right) in a flash impeachment, on suspicion of bribery when he was governor in 2014.

(Read also: What challenges does the new president in charge of Peru face?)

The day after Vizcarra’s dismissal – investigated by the prosecutor and banned from leaving the country for 18 months – he took over the reins of the country Merino, then head of parliament and also center-right, But thousands of indignant citizens, especially young people, took to the streets to protest against what they called a “coup”.

The protests, which lasted five days, were violently repressed by the police, with a toll of two dead and more than 100 injured, which accelerated Merino’s resignation last Sunday.

In fact, after taking the oath as president, Sagasti gave a speech on Tuesday in which he asked the families of the two deceased protesters “forgiveness on behalf of the state”.

(Read also: Why is Peru experiencing this political crisis?)

“We can’t bring these young people back to life,” said Inti Sotelo’s new president, 24, and Jack Pintado, 22, whose parents attended the session of Congress.

Furthermore, Sagasti – a slow, calm and rational man highly regarded by his colleagues in Congress – reiterated that his goal is to restore citizens’ trust and ensure the transparency of his government.

According to experts, Sagasti’s choice is the most suitable for Peru, because this “helps build a moment of political and economic stability, has good prospects”political analyst Augusto Álvarez Rodrich said.

The caucus of the centrist party Morado di Sagasti was the only one that voted en bloc against the removal of Vizcarra, which paved the way for the head of the new transitional government, who must lead the country until July 28, 2021 and guarantee the presidential and legislative elections which are scheduled for 11 April.

“Sagasti is the most placating and least traumatic option, after all that has happened,” political scientist Katherine Zegarra told ‘El Comercio’, who warned that the future of the new president’s government will not depend on him alone. “You don’t have to believe that Congress will change the way we act out of thin air,” he added.

(You may be interested: Peruvian justice prohibits former president Vizcarra from leaving the country)

The leadership of the Congress will be assumed by leftist Mirtha Vásquez, who also voted against the removal of Vizcarra. “Having a left-wing president in Congress will improve the image,” Álvarez Rodrich said.

But nevertheless, it is difficult to predict what a fragmented Congress dominated by four populist parties will do during the Sagasti government, after frequent clashes with Vizcarra and with his predecessor Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (2016-2018).

According to analysts, the first challenge for Sagasti will be the formation of a cabinet, which should be plural, efficient and consistent.. “(…) If he can manage a government that satisfies the majority of Congress and society, he could successfully end his government”Zegarra noted.

(Read also: More than 15,000 Peruvians marched to push back the interim government)

Sagasti said on Monday that priorities for his eight-month term are addressing the covid-19 pandemic (the country accumulates 930,000 infections and 35,000 deaths), economic recession, fighting corruption and insecurity, as well as conducting elections. . clean. So far, experts don’t see a strong candidate for the 2021 presidential election, but there are more than 20 candidates.

AFP and El Comercio (GDA)

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