Peru’s Congress selects centrist lawmaker to be new leader

LIMA,
Peru (AP) — Peru’s political crisis appeared on the verge of resolution
Monday as Congress cleared the way for an elder statesman and consensus
candidate to become the country’s third president in a week.

Jubilant
people waved the nation’s red-and-white flag and blared horns on the
streets of Peru’s capital as Francisco Sagasti of the centrist Purple
Party was selected as the new president of Congress.

The
76-year-old engineer has not yet been sworn into office, but as head of
Congress becomes the nation’s chief of state by default. Peru currently
has no president or vice president, making him next in line.

It will now fall on Sagasti to heal a nation bruised by a week of upheaval.

“What’s
at stake is taking a first step toward rebuilding confidence between
the people and the state,” said Samuel Rotta, president of the Peruvian
chapter of Transparency International.

Applause erupted in the
legislative palace as Sagasti clinched the required majority vote. A
respected academic, he has also spent decades consulting government
institutions and held a post at the World Bank. Shortly after the vote,
he took an oath to become Congress’ president.

“We will do everything possible to return hope to the people and show them they can trust in us,” he said in his first remarks.

Many
in the Latin American nation are hopeful Sagasti’s appointment will
mark the end of a tumultuous week in which thousands took to the streets
outraged by Congress’ decision to oust popular ex-President Martín
Vizcarra. During the upheaval, two young men died and dozens were
injured. Peru also spent more than 24 hours with no designated chief of
state.

Sagasti could steer the country back toward stability
because he is in a stronger position than his predecessor to potentially
win the support of both Congress and demonstrators. He and his Purple
Party bloc were among just 19 of 130 lawmakers to vote against
Vizcarra’s removal. That will earn him credibility among protesters who
condemned the ouster as a power grab. Unlike Vizcarra, he also has a
party in Congress representing him.

“Sagasti is someone who
inspired confidence among a lot of people,” said Jo-Marie Burt, a senior
fellow with the Washington Office on Latin America. “He’s an accidental
president — but I wouldn’t say he’s someone without a plan.”

Peru
has much on the line: The country is in the throes of one of the
world’s most lethal coronavirus outbreaks and political analysts say the
constitutional crisis cast the country’s democracy into jeopardy.

The
protests that rocked Peru were unlike any seen in recent years, fueled
largely by young people typically apathetic to the country’s notoriously
erratic politics. They came a year after a wave of anti-government
demonstrations around Latin America demanding better conditions for the
poor and working class.

Human rights groups accused police of
mounting an excessive response to the protests, lashing out at
demonstrators with batons, rubber bullets and tear gas. The two
protesters who died suffered multiple wounds — Jack Pintado, 22, was
shot 10 times, including in the head, and Jordan Sotelo, 24, was hit
four times in the chest near his heart, according to authorities.

“People
on the streets, in their homes, on their balconies and on social media
are very, very upset,” Rotta said. “Peru is a country with high levels
of mistrust. Politicians profoundly aggravated that.”

At the crux
of the unrest are long-simmering tensions over corruption in Peru. Every
living former president has been accused or charged — most in the
massive Odebrecht graft scandal in which the Brazilian construction
giant admitted to doling out millions to politicians in exchange for
lucrative public works contracts. Meanwhile, half of Congress is also
under investigation for crimes ranging from money laundering to
homicide.

Vizcarra attracted legions of supporters for his efforts
to change that. He dissolved Congress last year, reformed how judges
are chosen and tried to get rid of the prosecutorial immunity granted to
lawmakers. But he had no party backing him in Congress and sparred with
legislators constantly.

Lawmakers ousted him using a
19th-century-era clause claiming he showed “permanent moral incapacity.”
They accused him of taking over $630,000 in bribes in exchange for two
construction contracts while governor of a small province years ago.
Prosecutors are investigating the accusations, but Vizcarra has not been
charged. He vehemently denies any wrongdoing.

The country’s
highest court is currently evaluating whether Congress broke the law in
removing him from office — a decision that experts said would not be
retroactive, but could have implications going forward. Some analysts
said the ordeal shows Peru’s political system needs reform so that no
one branch of government has outsized power.

“There’s a serious question of checks and balances,” Rotta said.

After
Vizcarra was removed, then-Congress president Manuel Merino became
president. The little known politician and rice farmer faced daily
protests. He promised to keep in place a scheduled presidential election
in April. But his conservative Cabinet appointments irked many. He
resigned on Sunday, just five days after being sworn into office.

The
unrest comes as Peru grapples with the world’s highest per-capita
COVID-19 mortality rate and one of Latin America’s worst economic
contractions. The International Monetary Fund projects a 14% decline in
GDP this year.

Sagasti has been a mainstay in Peruvian politics.
He was among those taken hostage by Tupac Amaru rebels at the Japanese
ambassador’s residence in 1996. He has a doctorate from the University
of Pennsylvania and has written numerous books, including one titled,
“Democracy and Good Governance.”

To be sure, Congress is likely to
stymie any efforts to pass anti-corruption reform. And many Peruvians
will still be clamoring for change. But the reaction to Sagasti’s
appointment was decidedly different.

Unlike Merino, Sagasti was
immediately welcomed by international leaders including Organization of
American States Secretary General Luis Almagro.

“We trust in his
capacity to guide the country through this crisis until the next
presidential election,” Almagro wrote on Twitter.

In his speech
before Congress, Sagasti recognized the deep wounds the legislature must
work to repair before the election. Wearing a black face mask and a
purple tie, he called on lawmakers to work together to ensure that
Peruvians feel recognized by an institution few trust. He also paid
homage to the two young men who died during the protests.

“We
can’t bring them back to life,” he said. “But we can through Congress,
and the executive, take action so this doesn’t happen again.”

Moments
later Sagasti walked of Congress, exiting the gates and approaching a
crowd of people celebrating his appointment. He shook hands and waved.
Some chanted, “Sagasti, the president!”

“It couldn’t have been anyone else,” Sandra Ramirez said as she watched the new leader move among the crowd. “We are going to hope for the best from him.”

Associated Press writer Franklin Briceño reported this story in Lima and AP writer Christine Armario reported from Bogota, Colombia.