Lima: Peruvian President Manuel Merino, who was appointed last week following his predecessor Martin Vizcarra’s impeachment, has resigned amid protests that broke out across the country after he assumed the post.
I want to inform the entire country that I presented my irrevocable resignation … and I invoke peace and unity of all Peruvians, Xinhua news agency quoted Merino as saying in a televised address to the nation on Sunday.
He made the announcement after the Peruvian Congress held a crisis session on Sunday and asked him to resign amid the social protests, which killed at least two people, according to local media reports.
After Vizcarra was removed from office November 9 for alleged bribery when he was governor of the southern department of Moquegua between 2011 and 2014, thousands of people across the country staged some of the largest protests in decades.
The week-long rallies descended into chaos on November 14. At least 112 people were injured, some after inhaling tear gas, and 41 were still missing, according to Peru’s National Human Rights coordinator.
At least nine had suffered gunshot wounds, health officials said. Nothing justifies that a legitimate protest should trigger the deaths of Peruvians, Merino said in his address, adding that these events should be thoroughly investigated by the corresponding authorities to determine all responsibilities.
My commitment is to Peru and I will do my best to guarantee the constitutional succession that Congress determines, the 59-year-old politician and businessman added.