RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Peru’s interim president Manuel Merino has resigned after a violent crackdown on protests that left at least three people dead followed by an exodus of his cabinet members.
“I want to let the whole country know that I’m resigning,” Merino said in a televised address on Sunday, November 15th, sparking wild street celebrations in the capital Lima after protests against his rule.
Merino stepped down immediately after Peru’s head of Congress, Luis Valdez, said that all of the legislature’s political parties had agreed to ask for the “immediate” resignation of Merino in an emergency Congress session.
Valdez said the legislature would begin an impeachment process if Merino did not resign.
The meeting of the leaders of the nine parties in Congress was called by Valdez, who said the situation in Peru had become “untenable” after the police crackdown.
Police crackdown criticised
Thousands took to the streets in days of protests against Merino following the ouster of his popular predecessor Martin Vizcarra, who was impeached on corruption allegations on Monday.
Three protesters were killed during a massive and peaceful march in Lima, which was violently repressed by police firing shotgun pellets and tear gas.
A network of human rights groups reported that 112 people had been hurt and the whereabouts of 41 others were unknown. Health authorities said the dead included Jack Pintado, 22, who was shot 11 times, including in the head, and Jordan Sotelo, 24, who was hit four times in the thorax near his heart.
“I just found out about the third death” in the protests, said the Archbishop of Lima, Carlos Castillo, deploring the police crackdown in a statement to state television.
Police reported two deaths, while the National Human Rights Coordinator indicated it was investigating whether there were four.
The Ombudsman’s Office said the first fatality, a 25-year-old man, was killed by pellet shots to the head and face. At least 63 protesters were injured, the Health Ministry said.
The police tactics have been criticised by the UN and rights organisations such as Amnesty International since the protests began on Tuesday.
Merino, a little-known politician and rice farmer, became Peru’s leader Tuesday after a stunning vote by Congress to oust popular ex-President Martín Vizcarra over bribery allegations, which he denies.
As head of Congress, Merino was next in Iine to the presidency when Vizcarra was removed. But protesters contend the move amounted to an illegal parliamentary coup and refused to recognize him.