Vizcarra interrogates the Merino government and calls on Peruvians to protest

He assured that he will not leave the country, nor will he seek asylum in an embassy, ​​nor will he be hospitalized to avoid investigations by the prosecutor’s office.

Three days after being fired in a “lightning-fast” impeachment trial, former Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra on Thursday, November 12, questioned the legality and legitimacy of Manuel Merino’s new government and called on his compatriots to protest peacefully in the streets.

“The legality is up for debate and the legitimacy, given by the people, we are seeing in the streets” with the demonstrations against Merino, Vizcarra told reporters when he went on trial to testify on the cause of the alleged corruption that Congress exercised to fire him Monday .

“Even the OAS has asked for the ruling of the Constitutional Court” on the legitimacy of the dismissal, said the popular former president, referring to a statement from Luis Almagro’s General Secretariat.

“We are concerned about the political situation in Peru,” said Vizcarra, a politician who lacks a party and a bench in Congress but with record levels of citizen support, according to polls.

Vizcarra defended the right of Peruvians to protest against Merino, which has taken place daily since Tuesday in the streets of Lima and other cities, and called for the demonstrations to be peaceful.

“We must appeal to the population to speak out peacefully (…), the demonstrations must be allowed,” he said after hours of new marches held in Lima and other cities.

“The answer is given by the people (in the streets) to Mr. Merino,” he added. “And we also ask the national police to respect the demonstrations,” he said, stating that since the new government took office “we have seen an aggressive police”.

Vizcarra went to the Prosecutor’s Office to testify on allegations that he received bribes in 2014 for authorizing public works when he was governor of the southern region of Moquegua.

This lawsuit led to his dismissal, but Vizcarra denies receiving the $ 600,000 bribe, according to the complaint.

Vizcarra has assured that he will not leave the country, nor will he take refuge in an embassy, ​​nor will he be hospitalized to avoid investigations by the prosecutor.