Peru’s new cabinet must not exploit the Executive

Responding to the decision of the Peruvian congress to remove President Martín Vizcarra from office, Proética (TI Peru) expresses its resounding rejection of the instrumentalization of the fight against corruption for subordinate purposes. The process to declare the Presidency vacant is a serious distortion of what Article 113 of the Constitution of Peru establishes.

We urge Interim President Manuel Merino, who will assume the Presidency despite concerns, to ensure the following:

• No member of his cabinet will be associated with the political organisations that promoted and supported the declaration of vacancy of the Presidency. They will not be under investigation or suspicion of corruption. In such a critical social and economic moment, Peruvians need the best professionals available to direct the Executive's portfolios with autonomy and without responding to subordinate interests.
• The schedule for the 2021 general elections will not be delayed by a single day.
• The Executive will not attempt to intervene and influence in any way and under any circumstances the investigations of the Office of the General Prosecutor, particularly those underway against current parliamentarians.
• The state of emergency will not be an excuse to suppress peaceful public demonstrations.

We demand that the Congress of the Republic:

• Cancel the process of electing the members of the Constitutional Court, since the constitutionality of the decision taken is in question.
• Expedite the investigation procedures against parliamentarians suspected of wrongdoing.