Bogota, Nov. 19, (dpa/GNA) – Peru’s Congress will create a commission to investigate violence that claimed two lives and led to dozens of people being injured during last week’s protests, parliament speaker Mirtha Vasquez has said.
She announced the move as the country was struggling to recover from a political crisis that saw it have three presidents within a little more than a week.
Lawmaker Francisco Sagasti was sworn in as the third of the presidents on Tuesday, pledging to restore trust and hope in the country where “we have not been able to listen and respond to the legitimate aspirations of the great majority of Peruvians.”
Sagasti administered the oath of office to the members of his cabinet Wednesday evening, Agencia Andina news agency reported.
The office of the prime minister and foreign affairs portfolio went to two women, Violeta Bermudez and Esther Elizabeth Astete.
Nuria del Rocio Esparch is the first woman to be defence minister.
The South American country was plunged into political chaos on November 9, when president Martin Vizcarra was impeached for corruption and replaced by interim president Manuel Merino.
Merino resigned five days after his appointment, following violent protests against the ouster of his predecessor during which two young people were killed.
The commission will investigate the “very serious” events, “the use of force” and “human rights violations,” local media quoted Vasquez as saying.
A mission from the South America branch of the UN human rights office on Wednesday began a visit to Peru to evaluate the impact of the political crisis on human rights, the UN Development Programme tweeted.
Sagasti, a 76-year-old centre-right politician, was appointed parliament speaker on Monday to open the way for him to be sworn in as president. He will be at the helm in Peru until a new leadership takes over after elections scheduled for April.
He had pledged on Tuesday to appoint a “diverse” cabinet representing different views and regions that will prioritize the fight against the coronavirus pandemic, economic recovery, education and measures against corruption.
The former engineer faces an uphill battle to convince Peruvians of the trustworthiness of lawmakers, around half of whom are currently being investigated for alleged involvement in different crimes.
Vizcarra was removed from office on corruption charges, though he had launched an anti-corruption drive which often pitted him against lawmakers.
Vasquez, who succeeded Sagasti as parliament speaker, said on Wednesday she would seek cooperation between parties in Congress to stop the “constant confrontation of political groups with the government.”
Peru has been plagued by corruption scandals on the highest level, with several former presidents implicated in scandals linked to the Brazilian construction giant Odebrecht.
Sagasti said there was a need to change “such a harmful way in which we have been exercising politics” and pledged to bring politics closer to young people.
The political crisis hit Peru at a particularly difficult time.
The country has one of the highest coronavirus fatality rates, and the International Monetary Fund estimates that its gross domestic product will shrink by 13.9 per cent this year.
GNA