Peru to Swear-In New President to Calm Unrest
2020-11-18
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1Peruvian lawmaker Francisco Sagasti is set to be sworn-in as acting president on Tuesday.
2Peru's congress approved the appointment in an effort to calm street protests after the removal of two presidents during the past week.
3Sagasti is a legislator from the Purple Party.
4He will be sworn-in as president at 2100 hours Universal Time.
5His term is office would last until July of next year.
6A new presidential election will be held April 11, 2021.
7A week ago, President Martin Vizcarra was removed from office in an impeachment trial.
8He was replaced by Manuel Merino, who resigned on Sunday after two people died in anti-government protests.
9Sagasti spoke to the nation Monday night.
10He promised to move the country away from anger and "toward a moment of happiness, of hope."
11But many in Peru believe its politicians are corrupt and responsible for the economic and public health crises the country is experiencing.
12Congress removed the well-liked Vizcarra from office by using a little-known legislative rule.
13He was accused of taking more than $500,000 dollars in illegal payments while serving as governor in southern Peru from 2011-2014.
14He denies the charges.
15Protestors believe he was ousted because of his efforts to stop corruption.
16About 50 percent of Peru's legislators are being investigated for financial crimes, The New York Times noted.
17The decision to name Sagasti appears to have calmed protestors, but hundreds continued to demonstrate in Lima Monday night.
18Sagasti is an engineer and former World Bank official.
19He said on Monday night that he would consider naming Vizcarra to his cabinet.
20"If they are people with experience, integrity and the desire to work, I think we would do wrong to leave them aside," Sagasti told a local television station.
21Sagasti will be Peru's fourth president in less than three years after the departures of Vizcarra and Merino.
22Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigned in 2018 following corruption charges.
23I'm Susan Shand.
1Peruvian lawmaker Francisco Sagasti is set to be sworn-in as acting president on Tuesday. Peru's congress approved the appointment in an effort to calm street protests after the removal of two presidents during the past week. 2Sagasti is a legislator from the Purple Party. He will be sworn-in as president at 2100 hours Universal Time. His term is office would last until July of next year. A new presidential election will be held April 11, 2021. 3A week ago, President Martin Vizcarra was removed from office in an impeachment trial. He was replaced by Manuel Merino, who resigned on Sunday after two people died in anti-government protests. 4Sagasti spoke to the nation Monday night. He promised to move the country away from anger and "toward a moment of happiness, of hope." 5But many in Peru believe its politicians are corrupt and responsible for the economic and public health crises the country is experiencing. 6Congress removed the well-liked Vizcarra from office by using a little-known legislative rule. He was accused of taking more than $500,000 dollars in illegal payments while serving as governor in southern Peru from 2011-2014. He denies the charges. Protestors believe he was ousted because of his efforts to stop corruption. 7About 50 percent of Peru's legislators are being investigated for financial crimes, The New York Times noted. 8The decision to name Sagasti appears to have calmed protestors, but hundreds continued to demonstrate in Lima Monday night. 9Sagasti is an engineer and former World Bank official. He said on Monday night that he would consider naming Vizcarra to his cabinet. 10"If they are people with experience, integrity and the desire to work, I think we would do wrong to leave them aside," Sagasti told a local television station. 11Sagasti will be Peru's fourth president in less than three years after the departures of Vizcarra and Merino. Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigned in 2018 following corruption charges. 12I'm Susan Shand. 13The Reuters News Agency reported this story. Susan Shand adapted it for Learning English. George Grow was the editor. 14________________________________________________________________ 15Words in This Story 16impeachment - n. to charge (a public official) with a crime done while in office 17integrity - n. the quality of being honest and fair 18departure - n. taking one's leave or going away