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By Ellie Bunker
What’s happening?
Peru is in the midst of a political crisis. Within one week, the country saw three presidents and numerous protests. So, how did this happen?
Crucially, Peruvians decided that they were fed up with corrupt politicians. In the short term, the protests began as a result of the controversial impeachment of former President Martín Vizcarra on November 9th 2020 on the grounds of moral incapacity. This action was called into question by the Constitutional Tribunal, declaring it improper. Furthermore, many of the congressmen responsible for ousting Vizcarra are themselves facing allegations and charges of corruption. Manuel Merino, a university drop-out and little-known politician, took over as president of Peru forming a far-right government. Vizcarra called this government illegal and illegitimate, and the takeover was viewed by many Peruvians as a parliamentary coup. A key reason for this is that Vizcarra was impeached on the grounds of ‘moral incapacity’ but an investigation into nepotism was opened against Merino earlier in 2020, calling into question his moral capacity. Thanks to social media, Peruvians were able to share their indignation and come together. Consequently, mass protests ensued.
The majority of protests, which have mostly consisted of young people, have been peaceful. However, as has been the case during other protests in Latin America, the government has attempted to repress them and there have been clashes between protestors and police, resulting in many injuries. In images from the protests, police can be seen using batons, tear gas, water cannons, and buckshot (a type of bullet commonly used for hunting). This culminated in the deaths of two men, aged 22 and 24, as a result of gunshot wounds inflicted by the police. Such a response violates human rights protections by failing to guarantee the right to peaceful assembly. Calls for impartial investigations, explanations, justice and Merino’s resignation resulted. Following this, twelve ministers of the government resigned in protest against police brutality and eventually Merino resigned from his post as interim president, being replaced by the more liberal and experienced Francisco Sagasti. In contrast to Merino, Sagasti has a Master’s degree, a PhD, and a plethora of work experience which includes acting as Senior Advisor to the World Bank.
Why are people still protesting?
On the surface, it may appear that the protestors have succeeded in achieving their goal of ousting Merino. This is true to an extent. However, the protests are all related to a much deeper-rooted problem which must be addressed: corruption. Peru has a long history of corruption at many levels, including the Presidential level. The fact that every single one of the last six presidents have been involved in or accused of corruption is a clear demonstration of this. In other words, since Alberto Fujimori’s dictatorship, which began in 1992, there has not been a single Peruvian president who has avoided suspicion of corruption.
The most widely accepted definition of corruption is that of Transparency International, which defines corruption as ‘the abuse of public power for private benefit or profit.’ In the case of Peru and its presidents, the majority of the accusations have been related to a Brazilian construction company called Odebrecht. Several presidents have been accused or found guilty of accepting bribes from this company in exchange for lucrative contracts. One of them, Alan García, committed suicide to avoid incarceration.
Besides the hugely negative impact that it has on the economy of the country, corruption is something that affects every level of society in Peru. It erodes trust in any official, including the police, and is even present in institutions such as hospitals. For example, sometimes unnecessary treatments are prescribed in order to charge clients more money.
Understandably, this is an issue which many Peruvians are extremely concerned about. In fact, according to a survey undertaken by the Peruvian National Institute for Statistics and Information investigating the main problems for the country, more than 60% Peruvians named corruption as their primary concern in May-October 2019. Similarly, over 90% of respondents indicated a lack of trust in the Congress of the Republic. It makes sense, then, that Vizcarra’s decision to dissolve Congress in September 2019 actually resulted in an increase in his approval rating. It is unclear whether or not Vizcarra has accepted bribes, but Merino has denied allegations of accepting them himself. Furthermore, the leader of the opposition party Popular Force, Keiko Fujimori, is facing charges of corruption, including money laundering and obstruction of justice.
What next?
If 2020 taught us anything, it is that mass protest can enact positive and major change. In Chile, mass protests were successful in sparking a vote in favour of changing the constitution which had been in place since the dictatorship of Pinochet in the 1970s. Perhaps Peru is simply following this example, or perhaps it is a result of the ongoing pandemic. Whichever way you look at it, it is clear that the impeachment of Vizcarra was simply a catalyst. The mass protests are a call for wider change in Peru ahead of the presidential election in April 2021. The results of this election could be of vital importance in determining the future of the country.
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