Manuel Merino de Lama Becomes President of Peru after Vizcarra’s Impeachment

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Congress Chairman Manuel Merino de Lama on Tuesday, November 10th, was sworn in as President of the Republic in a Parliament solemn session. He is scheduled to conclude the 2016-2021 presidential term on 28 July 2021.

The event was held at Congress headquarters in Lima.

On Monday, November 10th, Congress approved the impeachment and removal of now-former President Martin Vizcarra from office, after declaring him “morally incompetent”.

Mr. Vizcarra had taken office on March 23, 2018, to replace resigning Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. His term in office was supposed to end on July 28, 2021.

Consequently, the application of the succession regime established in Article 115 of the Political Constitution of Peru was also declared.

“Given the temporary or permanent impediment of the President of the Republic, the First Vice-President assumes his/her functions. In default of the First Vice-President, the second one. Given the impediment of both, the President of Congress (…),” the articles read.

In this sense, 59-year-old Merino de Lama has assumed the aforementioned position, in compliance with the succession established in the Constitution.

On the extraordinary congressional elections held on January 26, 2020, Merino de Lama was elected parliamentarian to represent Tumbes region in Accion Popular (Popular Action) party. He became Congress chairman two months later.

Source: Andina