Peru has been plunged into its deepest political crisis in three decades after the country’s President, Martín Vizcarra, dissolved Congress, the legislative assembly, on Monday, Sep 30. Congress then moved to suspend the president. In an unexpected turn of events, the Vice-President of Peru, Mercedes Aráoz, who had been sworn in as acting president by Congress in a reaction to the president’s suspension of parliament, declared that she would step down on Tuesday. The announcement was made over Twitter.
For now, Mr. Vizcarra seems to be in control of the country that has remained calm. His orders to police to surround parliament so that members of the suspended Congress could not enter the building were followed. Mr. Vizcarra also published a picture on Monday night showing him with the heads of the armed forces and the national police who, for now, are backing the president.
At the heart of the current crisis is a conflict between the president and Congress over reform bills aimed at combatting corruption. The president claims that the opposition party in the legislature has stalled his efforts to enact reforms. Whether the president was in his constitutional right when he suspended Congress to make may for elections, is a disputed question. For now, elections are scheduled for January 2020.