Impeachment kicks out president Martn Vizcarra of Peru

[Judi Lynn]

Congress votes to remove centrist on bribery allegations after earlier attempt failed

Dan Collyns
@yachay_dc
Mon 9 Nov 2020 23.37 EST

Peru has been tipped into political uncertainty and turmoil after its Congress voted to oust President Martín Vizcarra from office on Monday, amid one of the world’s worst outbreaks of Covid-19.

Amid public outrage at his removal, the Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra said he would not challenge the decision in the courts and would step down as head of state.

Peruvians took to the streets and banged pots and pans into the night to voice their anger and opposition to the vote to impeach Vizcarra over corruption allegations. The impeachment vote took the nation by surprise, as Vizcarra was expected to survive the vote.

Opposition lawmakers from nine parties in the unicameral congress banded together to impeach Vizcarra, 57. They cited accusations of corruption and his handling of the pandemic. Finally, 105 of Peru’s 130 lawmakers voted to remove him on Monday.

. . .

Vizcarra’s fight against corruption made him popular with Peruvians but won him enemies in congress and his impeachment is the climax of an acrimonious stand-off with opposition lawmakers who he had tried to bring into line with anti-graft reforms.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/10/impeachment-kicks-out-president-martin-vizcarra-of-peru

[muriel_volestrangler]

1. Peru's new president accused of coup after ousting of predecessor

After a night of furious protests and clashes with police, hundreds of demonstrators gathered again on Tuesday morning in downtown Lima to protest against the swearing-in of Manuel Merino, widely viewed as a key figure in orchestrating Vizcarra’s impeachment. A previous attempt in September failed to get enough votes.

Riot police with shields and wielding batons beat back demonstrators marching on the Congress building who waved Peruvian flags and placards reading “Merino is not my president”. In total 105 out of Peru’s 130 lawmakers voted to remove Vizcarra on Monday. Vizcarra has previously said that no fewer than 68 of the members of congress seeking his impeachment were themselves subject to ongoing legal processes.

Many public figures and legal experts have said described Vizcarra’s ousting – on the grounds of “permanent moral incapacity” – as illegitimate. George Forsyth, the leading presidential candidate, tweeted it was a “coup in disguise”. Leftwing presidential candidate Veronika Mendoza called for Peruvians to take to the streets to defend democracy.

Analysts concurred that the removal was orchestrated by opposition leaders who bitterly opposed the president’s anti-graft reforms and his overhaul of higher education which affected their business interests.

https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/nov/10/peru-coup-accusations-head-of-congress-made-president-predecessor-ousted

[Judi Lynn]

2. Now that the Congress finally slid their guy into the President's chair they can celebrate.

Manuel Merino

They can't get their candidates elected, so they have to keep finding new ways to get rid of the people's choice regularly.

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Google translation:

Amid protests, Manuel Merino is sworn in as president of Peru
By FRANKLIN BRICEÑO Associated Press Nov 10, 2020 Updated 1 hr ago



LIMA (AP) - Manuel Merino was sworn in on Tuesday as Peru's third president in four years amid protests demonstrating a deep political and economic crisis exacerbated by the pandemic.

The politician - unknown to much of the country - replaces Martín Vizcarra, who was fired on Monday for "permanent moral incapacity" after a swift vote in parliament after being accused without conclusive evidence of receiving bribes while he was governor in 2014.

His swearing-in was marked by protests that continued Tuesday night in more than a dozen cities. A few blocks from the ceremony in the capital, the police surrounded the presidential palace and Parliament and stopped the demonstrations with gases, pellets and sticks. The police reported that they arrested 27 and the local press reported hitting and shoving at least three journalists.

The protesters describe the dismissal as a "coup in disguise." A sign said "rats out", alluding to Parliament and others sang the phrase "Merino delinquent, you are not president."

Taxi driver Paul Mendoza told The Associated Press that Vizcarra's dismissal "is a coup" and added that his vacancy will cause "inflation, recession, the dollar will rise, we will not be able to move forward because we are also with the pandemic ”.

The new president, who will govern for eight months, called for the protesters to calm down and added that there is "an evil intention to want to divide the country" that he will not allow to happen.

The protesters describe the dismissal as a "coup in disguise." A sign said "rats out", alluding to Parliament and others sang the phrase "Merino delinquent, you are not president."

Taxi driver Paul Mendoza told The Associated Press that Vizcarra's dismissal "is a coup" and added that his vacancy will cause "inflation, recession, the dollar will rise, we will not be able to move forward because we are also with the pandemic ”.

The new president, who will govern for eight months, called for the protesters to calm down and added that there is "an evil intention to want to divide the country" that he will not allow to happen.

. . .

Pablo Mamani, 56, a street vendor of bottles of alcohol to disinfect his hands, said that politicians in Peru were getting worse and worse and that he did not expect improvements in his life.

"They are all miserable, thieves, Vizcarra was the least bad," said Mamani.

https://santamariatimes.com/espanol/noticias/mundo/manuel-merino-jura-como-nuevo-presidente-de-per/article_1c2c60cc-0fa7-5d0a-92dc-492f110dfc66.html

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Manuel Merino takes over as president of Peru

. . .



Supporters of former President Martín Vizcarra are held by a police water cannon.

Protesters march to Congress
Hundreds of protesters gathered this Tuesday in the center of Lima and marched towards Congress in protest against the swearing-in of its head, Manuel Merino.

Mobilized through social networks, the protesters, mostly young people, gathered since early Tuesday morning carrying flags and posters in protest at the removal of Vizcarra and the inauguration of Merino, whom they describe as a coup leader and usurper.

Peru Wahlen l Protest von Anhängern des ehemaligen Präsidenten Martín Vizcarra (Rodrigo Abd / AP Photo / picture alliance)



Demonstrations in Lima

The National Police have erected metal fences to prevent pedestrian access to the Parliament headquarters, near the central Plaza San Martín, and anticipating the mobilization of citizens, who expressed their outrage at the decision of Congress through the networks social, where criticism of the Congress decision is an outcry.

At various access points to the historic center of Lima, groups of young people clash with the Police to advance towards Congress, which is prevented by the agents with the use of tear gas.



Police block supporters of former President Martín Vizcarra who were protesting near Congress.

The anger of broad sectors of the public at the removal of Vizcarra was reflected during the night of Monday in the massive support received by a young man arrested by the Police for punching legislator Ricardo Burga, from the Popular Action party, in the face. one of those who promoted the presidential impeachment.

In a few hours, the attacker's social networks multiplied his followers by several thousand, who expressed support and admiration.

Flags with signs of mourning, posters with the mention of "This president does not represent me" or "Usurping Congress" are some of the signs of repudiation carried by the protesters in the center of the Peruvian capital.

https://www.dw.com/es/manuel-merino-asume-como-presidente-de-per%C3%BA/a-55556756

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The opposition has been led by Keiko Fujimori, right-wing brat daughter of tyrant dictator, and murderous user of death squads, Alberto Fujimori, who, as one of his unpunished crimes, had his government sterilize indigenous women without their permission, in an act people view as genocidal.

Here's her Wikipedia:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Keiko_Fujimori

Keiko wants to be the President of Peru, even though the people clearly don't want that to happen, ever.

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Thank you for providing the information about the coup, er, a, impeachment. Very sad they are able to do it.