Peru's acting President Araoz resigns as Vice President, calls for urgent general election

Peru
# 02 October 2019 08:59 (UTC +04:00)

Peruvian Vice President Mercedes Araoz, appointed as acting head of state after President Martin Vizcarra was declared temporarily unfit for governing, announced her resignation on Wednesday, calling for urgently holding a general election, APA reports citing Sputnik.

"I announce my decision to leave the post of the republic's second vice president ... The main reason of my resignation lies in the fact that constitutional order has been violated in Peru. I expect that as a result of my resignation, a general election will be held within a very short time for the country's benefit," Araoz wrote on Twitter.

Araoz specified that her resignation meant that she also renounced the post of the acting president.

"I believe there are no minimum conditions for me to fulfill the obligations that the republic's Congress has entrusted to me," Araoz added.

She also stressed that she has always prioritised defending laws and her own principles, not personal interests or popularity.

On Monday, Vizcarra dissolved the country's opposition-dominated Congress after lawmakers boycotted his calls for a Constitutional Tribunal reform and elected a new member of the tribunal, who is reportedly a relative of the president of the Congress. Vizcarra interpreted the move as a motion of no-confidence and dissolved the legislature, while it responded with declaring him temporarily unfit for governing and appointing Araoz as acting president.

Snap general election is currently scheduled for 26 January 2020.

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