“I want to let the whole country know that I am resigning for the presidency and I call for peace and unity for all Peruvians. My commitment is with Peru and I will do everything in my power to ensure its strength.” Let Congress decide for constitutional succession and for Peru to move forward, ”Merino told the nation.
Protests erupted across the country since Monday in the wake of the Vizcara impeachment and at least two people were killed and 94 injured on Saturday night.
The prosecutor’s office has opened an investigation into the deaths of the two. Peru has been monitoring the protests and vowing to stop using tear gas and rubber bullets against protesters on social media.
Opposition groups called for a boycott of the assembly, calling for a boycott of the assembly and refusing to recognize Marino as the new president. Among those calling for Merino’s resignation were Lima Jorge Moose, Nobel laureate in medicine and Peruvian influential Mario Vargas Llosa, and the Peruvian National Assembly regional governors.
Merino became Peru’s third president in less than five years. Vizcara took power in 2018 after former President Pedro Pablo Kukzenski resigned amid allegations of corruption and impending impeachment. Vizkara Kukizanski was vice president.
In his final address on Sunday, Merino said that with the crisis looming, all members of the cabinet had offered to resign, but that they intended to keep the ministers in place until the situation was resolved so as not to create a power vacuum. At least eight cabinet ministers were confirmed to have resigned between Saturday and Sunday, according to state press agency Andina.
Following Merino’s resignation, Congress convened a full session on Sunday to discuss the appointment of the next president. Presidential elections are scheduled for April next year.
.