2020 Peruvian protests
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

The 2020 Peruvian protests were a series of demonstrations sparked after the removal of President
Martín Vizcarra Martín Alberto Vizcarra Cornejo (; born 22 March 1963) is a Peruvian engineer and politician who served as President of Peru from 2018 to 2020. Vizcarra previously served as Governor of the Department of Moquegua (2011–2014), First Vice Pre ...
that took place from 9 November to 17 November 2020. The controversial removal of Vizcarra was recognized as a
coup d'état A coup d'état (; French for 'stroke of state'), also known as a coup or overthrow, is a seizure and removal of a government and its powers. Typically, it is an illegal seizure of power by a political faction, politician, cult, rebel group, m ...
by many Peruvians, political analysts and media outlets in the country. Protests were registered in several cities of the country, to show their outrage at the president's vacancy and reject the inauguration of the president of Congress,
Manuel Merino Manuel Arturo Merino de Lama (born 20 August 1961) is a Peruvian politician who briefly served as President of Peru for six days between 10 and 15 November 2020. He also served as the President of Congress from 16 March 2020 to 15 November 202 ...
. Upon taking office, Merino formed a
far-right Far-right politics, also referred to as the extreme right or right-wing extremism, are political beliefs and actions further to the right of the left–right political spectrum than the standard political right, particularly in terms of being ...
government. The protests have been described as the largest demonstrations in Peru in the past two decades and are organized by grassroots groups of young Peruvians on social media. The disproportional response by authorities has been condemned by various
human rights organizations :''The list is incomplete; please add known articles or create missing ones'' The following is a list of articles on the human rights organisations of the world. It does not include political parties, or academic institutions. The list includes ...
, including United Nations Peru, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and
Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...
. After reports that 2 protesters were killed by authorities on 14 November, the majority of ministers from Merino's government resigned from office while Merino resigned the following day; he was president for five days. Along with the aftermath of 2 dead, hundreds were left injured and over 40 citizens were reported as missing and authorities have refused to investigate further. On 16 November, the
Congress of Peru The Congress of the Republic of Peru ( es, Congreso de la República) is the unicameral body that assumes legislative power in Peru. Congress' composition is established by Chapter I of Title IV of the Constitution of Peru. Congress is compose ...
elected
Francisco Sagasti Francisco Rafael Sagasti Hochhausler OSP ( (); born 10 October 1944) is a Peruvian engineer, academic, and author who served as the President of Peru from November 2020 to July 2021. Sagasti has worked as an advisor for economic development a ...
as the president of the legislature, automatically elevating him to the Peruvian presidency under the constitution.


Background

Martín Vizcarra Martín Alberto Vizcarra Cornejo (; born 22 March 1963) is a Peruvian engineer and politician who served as President of Peru from 2018 to 2020. Vizcarra previously served as Governor of the Department of Moquegua (2011–2014), First Vice Pre ...
was elected as First Vice President of Peru in a 2016 general election, running with
Pedro Pablo Kuczynski Pedro is a masculine given name. Pedro is the Spanish, Portuguese, and Galician name for ''Peter''. Its French equivalent is Pierre while its English and Germanic form is Peter. The counterpart patronymic surname of the name Pedro, meaning ...
of the Peruanos Por el Kambio party. On 23 March 2018, Vizcarra was sworn into office as president of Peru following the resignation of President Kuczynski. Upon being sworn into office, Vizcarra stated "we've had enough", vowing to combat corruption as president.


Opposition from congress

Throughout Vizcarra's tenure, he faced opposition from the Congress of Peru. He initially faced opposition from the
Fujimorist Fujimorism () denotes the policies and the political ideology of former President of Peru Alberto Fujimori as well as the personality cult built around him, his policies and his family. The ideology is defined by authoritarianism, its support for ...
congress when pushing for the constitutional referendum in 2018, an election that resulted with laws prohibiting the private funding of political campaigns and a ban on reelecting lawmakers. Into 2019, the Fujimorist congress continued to delay Vizcarra's reforms, with Vizcarra later dissolving the congress after instituting a
motion of no confidence A motion of no confidence, also variously called a vote of no confidence, no-confidence motion, motion of confidence, or vote of confidence, is a statement or vote about whether a person in a position of responsibility like in government or mana ...
, saying it was "clear the democracy of our nation is at risk". A legislative election was held later on 26 January 2020 which replaced the dissolved congress, with centrist parties replacing the Fujimorist majority in congress. Analysts Diego Pereira and Lucila Barbeito of
JPMorgan Chase & Co JPMorgan Chase & Co. is an American multinational investment bank and financial services holding company headquartered in New York City and incorporated in Delaware. As of 2022, JPMorgan Chase is the largest bank in the United States, the w ...
described the new congress as being "even more antagonistic to the izcarragovernment than the previous one" while ''
Americas Quarterly ''Americas Quarterly (AQ)'' is a publication dedicated to politics, business and culture in the Americas. Distribution ''AQ'' has an established relationship with NTN24, an online news channel from Colombia with three million viewers, to broadc ...
'' wrote that the four main right-wing parties of congress –
Alliance for Progress The Alliance for Progress ( es, Alianza para el Progreso, links=no), initiated by U.S. President John F. Kennedy on March 13, 1961, ostensibly aimed to establish economic cooperation between the U.S. and Latin America. Governor Luis Muñoz Marín ...
, Podemos Perú, Popular Action and
Union for Peru Union for Peru ( es, Unión por el Perú) was a Peruvian political party founded by Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, an ex- UN Secretary General, in 1994 to run for the Presidency of Peru in the 1995 general elections. Originally a social democratic pa ...
– feared Vizcarra's anti-corruption measures on campaign financing, political transparency and the participation of convicted persons in government. As Peru's economy declined due to the
COVID-19 pandemic in Peru The COVID-19 pandemic in Peru has resulted in confirmed cases of COVID-19 and deaths. The virus spread to Peru on 6 March 2020, when a 25-year-old man who had travelled to Spain, France, and the Czech Republic tested positive. On 15 March 20 ...
, Vizcarra faced increased political pressure from the newly inaugurated congress presided by
Manuel Merino Manuel Arturo Merino de Lama (born 20 August 1961) is a Peruvian politician who briefly served as President of Peru for six days between 10 and 15 November 2020. He also served as the President of Congress from 16 March 2020 to 15 November 202 ...
, with the majority of the legislative body being controlled by those opposing Vizcarra. Finally on 5 July 2020, Vizcarra proposed a referendum to be held during the
2021 Peruvian general election General elections were held in Peru on 11 April 2021. The presidential election, which determined the President of Peru, president and the Vice President of Peru, vice presidents, required a run-off between the two top candidates, which was held ...
to remove
parliamentary immunity Parliamentary immunity, also known as legislative immunity, is a system in which politicians such as president, vice president, governor, lieutenant governor, member of parliament, member of legislative assembly, member of legislative council, s ...
, though congress quickly responded by assembling that same night to pass their own immunity bill that contained proposals to remove immunity from the president, constitutional court and the human rights ombudsman while also strengthening some instances of parliamentary immunity.


Impeachment and removal of Vizcarra


First attempt at removal

In early 2020, investigations began surrounding a contract for a little-known singer by the name of Richard Cisneros to perform speeches for the Ministry of Culture. The first impeachment process was led by the imprisoned
Antauro Humala Antauro Igor Humala Tasso (born 29 June 1963) is a Peruvian ethnocacerist, a former army major, and nationalist leader. Early life Antauro Igor Humala Tasso was born in Lima, on June 29, 1963. Son of lawyers Isaac Humala and Elena Tasso. He i ...
and his Union for Peru (UPP) party, according to reports in Peru. Humala was sentenced to 19 years in prison following his Andahuaylazo uprising against President
Alejandro Toledo Alejandro Celestino Toledo Manrique (; born 28 March 1946) is a Peruvian politician who served President of Peru, from 2001 to 2006. He gained international prominence after leading the opposition against president Alberto Fujimori, who held ...
that resulted in the deaths of police. From his cell, Humala reportedly orchestrated the impeachment process with members of congress and his UPP supporters. Edgar Alarcón, a UPP congressman and a close supporter of Humala, took charge of the impeachment process against Vizcarra. Alarcón himself, according to
Vice News Vice News (stylized as VICE News) is Vice Media's current affairs channel, producing daily documentary essays and video through its website and YouTube channel. It promotes itself on its coverage of "under-reported stories". Vice News was create ...
, was protected from criminal charges of
embezzlement Embezzlement is a crime that consists of withholding assets for the purpose of conversion of such assets, by one or more persons to whom the assets were entrusted, either to be held or to be used for specific purposes. Embezzlement is a type ...
and illicit monetary gains due to
parliamentary immunity Parliamentary immunity, also known as legislative immunity, is a system in which politicians such as president, vice president, governor, lieutenant governor, member of parliament, member of legislative assembly, member of legislative council, s ...
, charges that could have resulted with seventeen years in prison. It was alleged that an inexperienced Cisneros was able to receive payments totaling US$50,000 due to contacts in the Government Palace. Investigators searched offices in the Government Palace on 1 June 2020 regarding the alleged irregularities. Vizcarra responded to the release of the recordings stating "I am not going to resign. I am not running away" and that the "audios have been edited and maliciously manipulated; as you can see, they purposely seek to turn a job-related claim into a criminal or political act, wanting to take words out of context and intend to accuse me of non-existent situations. Nothing is further from reality". President of Congress Manuel Merino was criticized by critics regarding how he hastily pushed for impeachment proceedings against Vizcarra. If Vizcarra were to be removed from office, Merino would assume the presidential office given his position in congress and due to the absence of vice presidents for Vizcarra. On 12 September 2020, renowned reporter Gustavo Gorriti wrote that Merino had contacted the Commanding General of the Peruvian Navy, Fernando Cerdán, notifying him that he was going to attempt to impeach Vizcarra and was hoping to assume the presidency.
Minister of Defense A defence minister or minister of defence is a cabinet official position in charge of a ministry of defense, which regulates the armed forces in sovereign states. The role of a defence minister varies considerably from country to country; in som ...
Jorge Chávez confirmed that Merino had tried to establish support with the Peruvian military. A second report was later released that Merino had contacted officials throughout Peru's government while preparing to create a transitional cabinet. Following the release of these reports, support for impeaching Vizcarra decreased among members of congress, with congress voting not to remove Vizcarra from the presidency.


Removal of Vizcarra

After the first attempt failed, the Union for Peru bench raised a new vacancy request in October 2020, based on the alleged acts of corruption committed by Vizcarra when he was regional Governor of Moquegua, which includes the testimony of an applicant to an effective collaborator in the "Construction Club Case" who stated that the Obrainsa company paid him 1 million soles and three other aspiring effective collaborators also point out that he received 1.3 million soles from the Ingenieros Civiles y Contractors Generales SA consortium (ICCGSA), and Incot for the tender of the project for the construction of the Regional Hospital of Moquegua in 2013. On 2 November,
impeachment Impeachment is the process by which a legislative body or other legally constituted tribunal initiates charges against a public official for misconduct. It may be understood as a unique process involving both political and legal elements. In ...
was initiated by the Congress of Peru with 60 votes in favor, 40 against and 18 abstentions. Vizcarra attended the
plenary session A plenary session or plenum is a session of a conference which all members of all parties are to attend. Such a session may include a broad range of content, from keynotes to panel discussions, and is not necessarily related to a specific styl ...
in Congress on 9 November to defend himself against the accusations. On 9 November 2020, a total of 105 members of Congress voted to remove Vizcarra from office, exceeding the 87 votes (out of 130) that were still needed to impeach him. Merino, who succeeded him as president the following day, with a mandate to serve as president until July 2021. Vizcarra called the accusations baseless and false, but still accepted the vote by Congress and promised not to take any other legal action.


Timeline


9 November

President Martín Vizcarra was summoned to testify and present his defense to Congress at 10 AM
PET A pet, or companion animal, is an animal kept primarily for a person's company or entertainment rather than as a working animal, livestock, or a laboratory animal. Popular pets are often considered to have attractive appearances, intelligence, ...
. After hours of parliamentary debate, the Congress of Peru voted to convict the President with 105 votes in favor, surpassing the 87 vote threshold for conviction. Following the vote, crowds began to gather at Plaza San Martín in protest. An incident occurred in Plaza Bolívar, outside of Congress, in which congressman Ricardo Burga was assaulted by a protestor when giving a press conference regarding the impeachment vote. Demonstrations spawned in other parts of the country and continued well into midnight, past the 11 p.m. curfew imposed by the government in response to the
COVID-19 pandemic in Peru The COVID-19 pandemic in Peru has resulted in confirmed cases of COVID-19 and deaths. The virus spread to Peru on 6 March 2020, when a 25-year-old man who had travelled to Spain, France, and the Czech Republic tested positive. On 15 March 20 ...
.


10 November

Following the inauguration of congressional leader
Manuel Merino Manuel Arturo Merino de Lama (born 20 August 1961) is a Peruvian politician who briefly served as President of Peru for six days between 10 and 15 November 2020. He also served as the President of Congress from 16 March 2020 to 15 November 202 ...
as president, demonstrations increased from early in the morning to the evening. Under the slogan "Merino does not represent me", from early in the morning they began to mobilize in the direction of the Legislative Palace, which was stopped by the
National Police of Peru The Peruvian National Police ( es, Policía Nacional del Perú, PNP) is the national police force of Peru. Its jurisdiction covers the nation's land, sea, and air territories. Formed from the merge of the Investigative Police, the Civil Guard, a ...
(NPP). A large number of protesters were mobilized to Plaza San Martín, where the NPP impeded protestors using
tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial aerosol, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce tears. In ad ...
and making multiple arrests. There were other confrontations between protesters and the NPP in Jirón de la Unión, while the former were dispersed when trying to approach en masse the
Government Palace of Peru The Government Palace (Spanish language, Spanish: ''Palacio de Gobierno''), also known as the House of Pizarro, is the seat of the executive branch of the Government of Peru, Peruvian Government, and the official residence of the President of Peru ...
. Various demonstrations and arrests were recorded in regions and cities of the country, such as Arequipa, Trujillo, Chiclayo, Huancayo and Iquitos. Hundreds of people gathered in the main squares and streets of Huancayo, Cuzco, Apurímac, Tacna and Puno. In Lima there were at least 16 arrested, according to Congresswoman Carolina Lizárraga.


11 November

In the morning, news outlets reported that Merino called his predecessor's
Minister of Internal Affairs Minister may refer to: * Minister (Christianity), a Christian cleric ** Minister (Catholic Church) * Minister (government), a member of government who heads a ministry (government department) ** Minister without portfolio, a member of governme ...
, César Gentile, suggesting that he was concerned that the protests were not being controlled. Gentile responded to Merino's hint by exclaiming "I am no longer the Minister of the Interior!" and resigning the post in his phone call with Merino. As a way to maintain measures of
social distancing In public health, social distancing, also called physical distancing, (NB. Regula Venske is president of the PEN Centre Germany.) is a set of non-pharmaceutical interventions or measures intended to prevent the spread of a contagious disea ...
, hundreds of protesters in Lima and the other major cities of the country carried out
cacerolazo A cacerolazo ( or ), cacerolada (, ) or casserole is a form of popular protest which consists of a group of people making noise by banging pots, pans, and other utensils in order to call for attention. The first documented protests of this styl ...
s in
multi-family residential Multifamily residential (also known as multidwelling unit or MDU) is a classification of housing where multiple separate housing units for residential inhabitants are contained within one building or several buildings within one complex. Units ca ...
buildings and "honks" in the streets against the Merino and in support of the ousted president
Martín Vizcarra Martín Alberto Vizcarra Cornejo (; born 22 March 1963) is a Peruvian engineer and politician who served as President of Peru from 2018 to 2020. Vizcarra previously served as Governor of the Department of Moquegua (2011–2014), First Vice Pre ...
. During this day, there were peaceful demonstrations in city center of Lima, and other districts such as Miraflores and Surco, where groups of young people came to the front of the National Superintendence of University Education (SUNEDU) to demand that SUNEDU respect the autonomy in the licensing of universities and the autonomy of this institution. In
Huancavelica Huancavelica () or Wankawillka in Quechua is a city in Peru. It is the capital of the department of Huancavelica and according to the 2017 census had a population of 49,570 people. The city was established on August 5, 1572 by the Viceroy ...
, about 5,000 residents tried to take control of the Mantaro hydroelectric plant, they were dispersed with tear gas bombs thrown by the police. In
Puerto Maldonado Puerto Maldonado () is a city in southeastern Peru in the Amazon rainforest west of the Bolivian border, located at the confluence of the Tambopata and Madre de Dios rivers. The latter river joins the Madeira River as a tributary of the Amazo ...
, more than twenty people were detained and one journalist was injured during demonstrations. The Justice and Human Rights Commission of the Congress of the Republic refused to summon the Deputy Commander General of the
National Police of Peru The Peruvian National Police ( es, Policía Nacional del Perú, PNP) is the national police force of Peru. Its jurisdiction covers the nation's land, sea, and air territories. Formed from the merge of the Investigative Police, the Civil Guard, a ...
to testify for the arrests in the midst of the protests.


12 November

The National March, beginning at 5 PM PET, occurred throughout Peru to demand the resignation of President Manuel Merino, with a primary location being at Plaza San Martín. Richard Cisneros, who was the singer involved in Vizcarra's first impeachment scandal, arrived at the plaza minutes before the march began, angering protesters who threw objects at him until he took refuge inside a nearby fast food store. The newly named Minister of Justice, Delia Muñoz, described calls for protests as "propaganda" while new Minister of Labor Juan Sheput falsely said "the protests are waning" and told the public that businesses would be hurt by the protests. Protests occurred in the major cities of Peru, including
Arequipa Arequipa (; Aymara and qu, Ariqipa) is a city and capital of province and the eponymous department of Peru. It is the seat of the Constitutional Court of Peru and often dubbed the "legal capital of Peru". It is the second most populated city ...
,
Chiclayo Chiclayo (; qu, Chiklayu) is the principal city of the Lambayeque region in northern Peru. It is located inland from the Pacific coast and from the nation's capital, Lima. Founded by Spanish explorers as "Santa María de los Valles de Chiclay ...
,
Chimbote Chimbote ; qu, Chimputi) is the largest city in the Ancash Region of Peru, and the capital of both Santa Province and Chimbote District. The city is located on the coast in Ferrol Bay, 130 km south of Trujillo and north of Lima on the No ...
,
Cuzco Cusco, often spelled Cuzco (; qu, Qusqu ()), is a city in Southeastern Peru near the Urubamba Valley of the Andes mountain range. It is the capital of the Cusco Region and of the Cusco Province. The city is the seventh most populous in Peru; ...
,
Huaraz Huaraz () (from Quechuan languages, Quechua: ''Waraq'' or ''Waras'', "''dawn''"), founded as San Sebastián de Huaraz, is a city in Peru. It is the capital of the Ancash Region (State of Ancash) and the seat of government of Huaraz Province. The ...
,
Iquitos Iquitos (; ) is the capital city of Peru's Maynas Province and Loreto Region. It is the largest metropolis in the Peruvian Amazon, east of the Andes, as well as the ninth-most populous city of Peru. Iquitos is the largest city in the world th ...
, Lima,
Tacna Tacna was known for its mining industry; it had significant deposits of sodium nitrate and other resources. Its economic prosperity attracted a wave of immigrants from Italy. Today, their Italian Peruvian descendants live in the city and many of t ...
, Trujillo and Tumbes. In Cuzco, at least 18,000 people gathered in the
city square A town square (or square, plaza, public square, city square, urban square, or ''piazza'') is an open public space, commonly found in the heart of a traditional town but not necessarily a true geometric square, used for community gatherings. ...
where dancers and bands performed among the crowds. Merino's home state of Tumbes saw more than a thousand protestors against his government. Protesters in Tacna demanded a radical change in what they described as a
neoliberal Neoliberalism (also neo-liberalism) is a term used to signify the late 20th century political reappearance of 19th-century ideas associated with free-market capitalism after it fell into decline following the Second World War. A prominent fa ...
Constitution and expressed their rejection of the government of
Manuel Merino Manuel Arturo Merino de Lama (born 20 August 1961) is a Peruvian politician who briefly served as President of Peru for six days between 10 and 15 November 2020. He also served as the President of Congress from 16 March 2020 to 15 November 202 ...
. In Lima, the large crowds overwhelmed police who began to indiscriminately disperse
tear gas Tear gas, also known as a lachrymator agent or lachrymator (), sometimes colloquially known as "mace" after the early commercial aerosol, is a chemical weapon that stimulates the nerves of the lacrimal gland in the eye to produce tears. In ad ...
at protesters. In an incident caught on video, an alleged undercover TERNA agent of the
National Police of Peru The Peruvian National Police ( es, Policía Nacional del Perú, PNP) is the national police force of Peru. Its jurisdiction covers the nation's land, sea, and air territories. Formed from the merge of the Investigative Police, the Civil Guard, a ...
fires his weapon into the air to repel protesters who were following him. Popular Action congressman Hans Troyes revealed that representatives from his party were under pressure from its alternate spokesman, Ricardo Burga, to vote in favor of Vizcarra's removal under threat of not having certain projects they favored processed.


13 November

Merino's prime minister, Ántero Flores Aráoz, thanked the National Police for their response to protests stating "I thank you for always proceeding in compliance with human rights and protocol, logically avoiding harm, but reacting when you have to react." During the afternoon, some protesters in the City of Lima, went to march to different
media Media may refer to: Communication * Media (communication), tools used to deliver information or data ** Advertising media, various media, content, buying and placement for advertising ** Broadcast media, communications delivered over mass el ...
that were recognized in the country, some like
América TV América TV (call sign LS 86 TV) is an Argentine television station broadcasting on channel 2 in La Plata, Buenos Aires Province, Argentina, and one of Argentina's five national television networks. It is owned by Grupo América. América T ...
, Latina Televisión, ATV and Panamericana Television. This after the accusation of different political personalities, who said that the citizen demonstrations were from small sectors and would not have much relevance, including also due to the denunciation of some journalists from
TV Peru Television, sometimes shortened to TV, is a telecommunication medium for transmitting moving images and sound. The term can refer to a television set, or the medium of television transmission. Television is a mass medium for advertising, ...
who manifested attacks against freedom of expression by of the Government to minimize the marches that occurred in the country. Days later, some protesters came to march in front of the channel Willax Television, after some attacks by some journalists against the protesters. In the evening, cacerolazos occurred and at Merino's home in
San Borja District San Borja is a district of the Lima Province in Peru, and one of the upscale districts that comprise the city of Lima. Originally part of the district of Surquillo and San Isidro, it became officially established as a separate district on June 1 ...
, protesters used a projector on his apartment building shining images denouncing him. Protesters attempted to march to Flores Aráoz's home in
La Molina District La Molina is a district of the Lima Province in Peru, and one of the upscale districts that comprise the province of Lima. Officially established as a district on February 6, 1962, the current mayor of La Molina is Álvaro Paz de la Barra. Geogra ...
, though several streets surrounding the area were blocked by National Police, resulting in clashes.


14 November

A second National March occurred against the Merino government, with tens of thousands of demonstrators gathering throughout Peru. Protesters attempted to march to the Legislative Palace and were blocked by police, with authorities firing tear gas into the crowd while some demonstrators fired fireworks at officers. Percy Castillo, a representative of the
ombudsman An ombudsman (, also ,), ombud, ombuds, ombudswoman, ombudsperson or public advocate is an official who is usually appointed by the government or by parliament (usually with a significant degree of independence) to investigate complaints and at ...
, called for the cessation of tear gas usage, stating "Our staff have also been affected by gas, if there has been no motivation, there is no justification for tear gas. It is a demand of the ombudsman". At least two died during clashes, with the father of Jordán Inti Sotelo Camargo, who was killed earlier that day, saying in an interview "Four pellets. He was bleeding from a gunshot wound to the heart and his heart has exploded. ... Ántero Flores-Aráoz said 'nothing happens, nothing happens' here something is happening, my 24-year-old son, a tourism student, is dead, ... Gentlemen, I ask you from the bottom of my heart to retire". When news reports emerged of the deaths, spontaneous cacerolazos and shouting condemning Merino began in Lima. Following the reports of deaths, resignations of multiple Merino government officials begin to occur, these included: Prime Minister Ántero Flores-Araóz refused to resign, stating "The president took me as premier, if he stays, I'll stay with him, if he leaves and resigns, I'll go with him". The prime minister also supported the actions of authorities, saying "I defend the police because they attack them and it is unfortunate for everyone. It is not a question of who did this or that" and "The demonstrations end very badly because there are antisocial people and there have been acts not only of violence but also of destruction of public, private, and commercial works". Merino called for the heads of the armed forces to attend an emergency meeting at the Government Palace, though they refused in what ''
The Washington Post ''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large nati ...
'' described as " e final straw" of Merino's presidency. Calls from congress for Merino's consideration of resigning also occur, with president of congress Luis Valdez stating that the Board of Spokespersons would meet on 15 November at 8:00am PET to discuss Merino's possible resignation.


15 November

In the early morning, speculation of Merino fleeing the country emerged after it was reported that
Jorge Chávez International Airport Jorge Chávez International Airport (Aeropuerto Internacional Jorge Chávez) is Peru's main international and domestic airport. It is located in Callao, northwest from Lima Center, the nation's capital city and from the district of Miraflo ...
was closed by its operator,
Lima Airport Partners Lima Airport Partners S.R.L. is a Limited liability company that operates Peru's main airport: the Jorge Chávez International Airport in Callao, near Lima. It was founded in February 2001 and holds a 30-year concession to operate the airport. Th ...
. Merino later appeared before congress and presented his resignation, only five days after taking office.


16 November

The funeral procession and burial of Inti Sotelo occurred in the cemetery Campo Fe in Huachipa. Words of his mother: "my son said goodbye to me and told me. I'm going to give my life for my country." During the evening hours, protesters marched demanding a new constitution and called for justice of those injured and killed during demonstrations.


17 November

Francisco Sagasti Francisco Rafael Sagasti Hochhausler OSP ( (); born 10 October 1944) is a Peruvian engineer, academic, and author who served as the President of Peru from November 2020 to July 2021. Sagasti has worked as an advisor for economic development a ...
was officially inaugurated as President of Peru, with his first act as president being a minute of silence for the two young men killed during the protests, stating, "Let it be my first words to ask for a minute of silence in tribute to young citizens Jack Bryan Pintado Sánchez and Jordan Inti Sotelo Camargo, unfortunately killed during the last days of citizen mobilization, carried out in legitimate exercise of the fundamental right to protest". After the minute of silence, he spoke to the parents of the deceased seated in congress, "On behalf of the State, we apologize to their families, to them and to all the young people who marched to defend democracy, and who made us remember what the vocation of service is".


Subsequent events


18 November

President Sagasti officially appointed members of his cabinet and
Violeta Bermúdez Violeta Bermúdez Valdivia (born 12 August 1961) is a Peruvian lawyer, writer and diplomat. On 18 November 2020, Bermúdez became the Prime Minister of Peru. Previously, she held positions in the United States Agency for International Developmen ...
is appointed the new Prime Minister.


21 November

Protesters gather in Plaza San Martín a week after the two deaths occur, demanding justice for the men killed and calling for a new constitution. President Sagasti tells protesters that he will ensure their safety and prohibit the National Police from confronting peaceful protesters.


30 November

Agricultural worker rights protests begin in the
Ica Province The Ica Province is the largest of five provinces of the Ica Region in Peru. The capital of the province is the city of Ica. Huacachina is a small town, oasis and resort in this region. Political division The Ica Province is divided into fou ...
, a major location for agriculture in Peru. Hundreds of farm workers went on strike and blocked the
Pan-American Highway The Pan-American Highway (french: (Auto)route panaméricaine/transaméricaine; pt, Rodovia/Auto-estrada Pan-americana; es, Autopista/Carretera/Ruta Panamericana) is a network of roads stretching across the Americas and measuring about in to ...
, the country's main transportation artery, between
Pisco Pisco is a colorless or yellowish-to-amber colored brandy produced in winemaking regions of Peru and Chile. Made by distilling fermented grape juice into a high-proof spirit, it was developed by 16th-century Spanish settlers as an alternative ...
and Ica while demanding better work conditions.


1 December

Commander General Orlando Velasco is removed from leading the National Police and replaced with General César Cervantes by President Sagasti following the response of the law enforcement agency during protests. Over a dozen high-ranked officers resign in disapproval of the decision and expanded investigations while some law enforcement officials called for a police strike.


2 December

Interior Minister Rubén Vargas resigns following the change to leadership within the National Police, with Cluber Aliaga being named his successor. Shortages of some products begin to occur in the Ica Province due to the agrarian protests. Several trucks loaded with goods sat stranded on the Pan-American Highway due to blockages.


3 December

Strong protests occur in the Chao Valley and
Virú Valley The Viru Valley is located in La Libertad Region on the north west coast of Peru. The Viru Valley Project In 1946 the first attempt to study settlement patterns in the Americas took place in the Viru Valley, led by Gordon Willey. Rather than exami ...
near Trujillo, with the Special Services Unit of the Peruvian National Police entering the area to remove roadblocks and disperse protesters. One worker protesting spoke to ''
La República LA most frequently refers to Los Angeles, the second largest city in the United States. La, LA, or L.A. may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * La (musical note), or A, the sixth note * "L.A.", a song by Elliott Smith on ''Figure ...
'' stating "We earn 39 soles ($10.85 USD) a day, we do not have job stability. ... We demand a salary for all for equality". An agricultural worker protesting in
Virú Virú is a town in Northern Peru, capital of the province Virú in the region La Libertad. This town is located 48 km south Trujillo city and is primarily an agricultural center in the Viru Valley. See also *Virú Valley The Viru Valley is l ...
was killed after being shot in the head. Following his death, calls for a national march were made among Peruvians to condemn his death and demand enhanced labor rights, with a protest being scheduled to occur the next day on 4 December. President Sagasti condemned the death, stating "We will investigate what happened, we do not want anyone to die for defending labor rights".


4 December

Miners in
La Oroya District La Oroya District is one of ten districts of the Yauli Province in Peru. It is a region that is rich in zinc, lead and copper. Geography One of the highest peaks of the district is Hatun Punta at approximately . Other mountains are listed below: ...
began to join protests, blocking a nearby part of the Pan-American Highway. That night, congress voted to repeal the agrarian law and planned to meet later for a replacement bill. Shortly after the act of congress, protests dissipated on the highway.


5 December

The Peruvian Medical Federation (FMP) announces that it will begin an indefinite national strike in January 2021 after not receiving adequate responses from the Minister of Health.


7 December

Cluber Aliaga – named Interior Minister just five days earlier – resigns in disagreement with President Sagasti, arguing that the use of force by police was justified due to alleged violence initiated by protesters and that the dismissal of eighteen generals of the National Police was done too quickly. José Elice Navarro of the Purple Party was named as the next Interior Minister.


Protest violence


Casualties

During demonstrations on November 12th, the use of rubber bullets and tear gas was reported near the large protests in the
Lima District Lima is a district of Lima Province in Peru. Lima district is the oldest in Lima Province and as such, vestiges of the city's colonial era remain today in the historic centre of Lima, which was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site A Worl ...
. Reports emerged that protesters and journalists were injured from authorities firing rubber bullets. The Press and Society Institute (IPYS) condemned the injuries of at least three journalists who were directly fired at by police while the Peruvian Press Council denounced the detention and attacks on at least twenty press workers. Two protesters were seriously injured, with a total of fourteen individuals reported injured, according to the Minister of Health. The first deaths occur on 14 November, with two killed; a 25-year-old and Jordán Inti Sotelo Camargo, who was 24 years old. Both were killed after being shot by police. The third death was 19-year-old Jorge Yener Muñoz Jiménez, who was killed during agricultural labor rights protests on 3 December.


Human rights concerns

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...
demanded on 10 November that the authorities stop the repression of the demonstrations and that people's rights be guaranteed. Following the National March on 12 November, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) and the United Nations Peru condemned the disproportional use of force by authorities. In a statement, the IACHR said, "According to the information received, the Police have used tear gas and pellets on a massive scale against protesters and journalists. This contravenes the IACHR standards on the right to protest" and that demanded the Merino government "to refrain from engaging in indiscriminate detention practices". Christian Sanchez, National Information Officer of United Nations Peru, described the protests as "mostly peaceful in nature", stating: Following the deaths on 14 November, Americas director for Amnesty International, Erika Guevara, stated, "We demand an end to the repression and the investigation and punishment for all the human rights violations which are being registered". Also that evening,
Human Rights Watch Human Rights Watch (HRW) is an international non-governmental organization, headquartered in New York City, that conducts research and advocacy on human rights. The group pressures governments, policy makers, companies, and individual human r ...
director of the Americas José Miguel Vivanco also released a statement, saying, "We continue to document cases of police brutality in downtown Lima. Everything indicates that the repression against peaceful protesters is intensifying. The Police must suspend the use of pellets".


Reactions


International


International bodies

*
Organization of American States The Organization of American States (OAS; es, Organización de los Estados Americanos, pt, Organização dos Estados Americanos, french: Organisation des États américains; ''OEA'') is an international organization that was founded on 30 April ...
– The OAS General Secretariat
Luis Almagro Luis Leonardo Almagro Lemes (; born June 1, 1963) is a Uruguayan lawyer, diplomat, and politician who currently serves as the 10th Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS). He also served as Minister of Foreign Affairs bet ...
expressed his concern about the current political situation in Peru, in the context of the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identif ...
. The IACHR expressed its concern about the crisis generated after the vacancy of former President Vizcarra. *
United Nations The United Nations (UN) is an intergovernmental organization whose stated purposes are to maintain international peace and international security, security, develop friendly relations among nations, achieve international cooperation, and be ...
– The United Nations said that it had found that plainclothes police officers had proceeded to arbitrary arrests during the protests, and expressed disapproval thereof.


Governments

*
Argentina Argentina (), officially the Argentine Republic ( es, link=no, República Argentina), is a country in the southern half of South America. Argentina covers an area of , making it the second-largest country in South America after Brazil, th ...
– The foreign ministry stated "We trust in the commitment to carry out a democratic transition and to respect the ongoing electoral process", considering it a "difficult transition". *
Brazil Brazil ( pt, Brasil; ), officially the Federative Republic of Brazil (Portuguese: ), is the largest country in both South America and Latin America. At and with over 217 million people, Brazil is the world's fifth-largest country by area ...
– The foreign ministry released a statement expressing support for the Merino government. *
Chile Chile, officially the Republic of Chile, is a country in the western part of South America. It is the southernmost country in the world, and the closest to Antarctica, occupying a long and narrow strip of land between the Andes to the east a ...
– The foreign ministry released a statement supporting President Merino. *
El Salvador El Salvador (; , meaning " The Saviour"), officially the Republic of El Salvador ( es, República de El Salvador), is a country in Central America. It is bordered on the northeast by Honduras, on the northwest by Guatemala, and on the south b ...
President of El Salvador The president of El Salvador ( es, Presidente de El Salvador), officially known as the President of the Republic of El Salvador ( es, Presidente de la República de El Salvador), is the Head of State, head of state and Head of Government, head ...
Nayib Bukele Nayib Armando Bukele Ortez (; born 24 July 1981) is a Salvadoran politician and businessman who is the 43rd president of El Salvador, serving since 1 June 2019. He is the first president since José Napoleón Duarte (1984–1989) not to have ...
released a statement saying that El Salvador does not recognize Merino's government, calling it a "coup government". *
Paraguay Paraguay (; ), officially the Republic of Paraguay ( es, República del Paraguay, links=no; gn, Tavakuairetã Paraguái, links=si), is a landlocked country in South America. It is bordered by Argentina to the south and southwest, Brazil to th ...
– The foreign ministry released a statement supporting President Merino. *
Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...
– The foreign ministry released a statement supporting President Merino. *
Venezuela Venezuela (; ), officially the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela ( es, link=no, República Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a country on the northern coast of South America, consisting of a continental landmass and many islands and islets in th ...
– Disputed President
Nicolás Maduro Nicolás Maduro Moros (; born 23 November 1962) is a Venezuelan politician and president of Venezuela since 2013, with his presidency under dispute since 2019. Beginning his working life as a bus driver, Maduro rose to become a trade unio ...
expressed support for the protesters and youth of Peru.


Domestic


Institutions

The Ombudsman's Office pointed out that the police should make a proportionate use of force and should not exceed it. The Public Ministry ordered the prosecutors to carry out urgent actions to guarantee the rights of the people during the days of protests. The National Human Rights Coordinator denounced that the rights of people detained in police stations are not being respected. The
National University of San Marcos The National University of San Marcos ( es, Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos, link=no, UNMSM) is a public research university located in Lima, the capital of Peru. It is considered the most important, recognized and representative educ ...
, through a statement, indicated that it rejects "any political act that violates governance and constitutional order".


Politicians

The presidential pre-candidate
Verónika Mendoza Verónika Fanny Mendoza Frisch (born 9 December 1980) is a Peruvian-French psychologist, educator, and politician. She is the founder and current leader of the New Peru movement. Born in Cuzco to a Peruvian father and French mother, Mendoz ...
referred to the current situation, stating that if Manuel Merino assumes the presidency of Peru, his mandate will be illegitimate. The presidential pre-candidate
Julio Guzmán Julio Armando Guzmán Cáceres (born 31 July 1970) is a Peruvian economist, politician, and leader of the Purple Party who ran for President in the 2021 general elections getting just over 2% of valid votes. He was formerly the leader of the Al ...
, leader of the
Purple Party The Purple Party ( es, Partido Morado, PM) is a centrist, liberal and progressive Peruvian political party. The color purple was chosen to represent the blending of red and blue, the colors of left and right-wing parties in Peru, symbolizing the ...
, in the morning of November 10, 2020, stated the following on Twitter: "The Purple Party will not attend the swearing-in of Manuel Merino to the presidency of Peru. We will not participate in an illegitimate seizure of power". Former president
Ollanta Humala Lieutenant colonel Ollanta Moisés Humala Tasso (; born 27 June 1962) is a Peruvian politician and former military officer who served as President of Peru from 2011 to 2016. Originally a socialist and left-wing nationalist, he is considered ...
considers that it is foolish to impeach Martín Vizcarra given the situation in Peru, partly due to the pandemic, although he must be investigated.


See also

* 2017-present Peruvian political crisis * 2022 Peruvian protests * 2019 Bolivian political crisis * 2019–20 Chilean protests * 2019–2020 Colombian protests * 2019 Ecuadorian protests *
Venezuelan presidential crisis The Venezuelan presidential crisis is an ongoing political crisis concerning the leadership and the legitimate president of Venezuela; the office of the president has been contested since 10 January 2019, with the nation and the world divided ...


Notes


References

{{Peruvian political crisis Peruvian protests 2020 in Peru Protests in Peru Articles containing video clips