Peru’s Congress topples Martín Vizcarra on its second attempt
The country chose a tricky time to change presidents
PERU’S CONSTITUTION makes it relatively easy for Congress to get rid of a president. The legislature need only decide that he or she is “morally unfit”, and, by a two-thirds majority of its single chamber, evict the chief executive from the Pizarro Palace. On November 9th, by a vote of 105 to 19 with four abstentions, Congress did just that to Martín Vizcarra (pictured). That marks the second time in less than three years that it has toppled a president. (Mr Vizcarra took over from Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who quit before he could be impeached.)
This article appeared in the The Americas section of the print edition under the headline “Early retirement”
From the November 14th 2020 edition
Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents
Explore the editionMore from The Americas
Can Brazil’s left survive without Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva?
Brazil’s current president, a titan of the Latin American left, has no apparent heirs
Donald Trump shows that he is determined to pummel Mexico
The United States’ southern neighbour is bracing for a wave of deportees and trapped migrants
The race to lead Canada’s Liberal Party hinges on handling Trump
Mark Carney and Chrystia Freeland are the front-runners
Canada has adopted assisted dying faster than anywhere on Earth
The province of Quebec now allows those with deteriorating illnesses to request an assisted death in advance
Tether’s move to El Salvador is a win for President Nayib Bukele
Why the stablecoin firm has picked the Central American country for its headquarters
From Greenland to Panama and Mexico, leaders are in shock
As Donald Trump eyes fine new pieces of real estate in the Americas and beyond