Peru's Congress votes in Francisco Sagasti as interim leader, third in a week

Amid the political crisis in Peru, Francisco Sagasti has been sworn in as the country's new interim president. Sagasti is Peru's third head of state in a week's time. The 76-year-old engineer and academic will lead the country until the presidential election next year. He has taken over from Manuel Merino, the former speaker of Congress who became interim president following the impeachment of President Martín Vizcarra. Last week, President Vizcarra was impeached over bribery allegations and a move that sparked protests across the country. The unrest in the country killed at least two people and left many injured.

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President Sagasti was elected leader after obtaining the minimum 60 votes required. Sagasti belongs to the Purple party that voted against the impeachment of Vizcarra last week. According to a BBC report, President Sagasti in an address to Congress said it is absolutely necessary to remain calm, but do not confuse this with passivity, conformity, or resignation.

READ | Peru Congress suspends voting on new interim president following Merino's resignation

What's happening in Peru

The newly inducted president Sagasti took over from Merino who had been in the post for less than a week when protesters and politicians called for his resignation following a violent crackdown on demonstrations against him. Thousands of demonstrators took part in protests against Vizcarra's removal from office. While some protestors supported Vizcarra and his reform agenda, others said they were fed up with members of Congress.

The violence police resorted to, to disperse the protests further fuelled anger against Merino. Twelve ministers from his newly appointed cabinet resigned on Sunday in protest against police brutality and his handling of the crisis.

Meanwhile, Sagasti has said his main task will be to ensure that the general election scheduled for April 2021 goes ahead as planned. He also struck a friendly note in his first interviews and said that he would lead an inclusive cabinet that could continue to fight against corruption. He also visited some of the protesters who were injured in clashes with the police in the hospital and paid tribute to the two students who were killed.

READ | Peru's Congress selects centrist lawmaker to be new leader

READ | Interim Peru president Manuel Merino resigns after two protestors killed in growing unrest

(Image-AP)