Peru’s third president in a week sworn in

BOGOTA, Colombia

Peru’s third president in just over a week was sworn in Tuesday, urging political parties to seek consensus and unity to overcome the country's worst political and social crisis in two decades.

Francisco Sagasti, a legislator from the centrist Purple Party, took office a day after Congress approved a new Legislative Board of Directors following Sunday’s resignation of President Manuel Merino.

In his first words to the nation, the interim president began by remembering the two young men who died during weekend protests.

"We can't bring them back to life, but we can prevent this from happening again by resolutely supporting those who were injured, some of them seriously. In the name of the State, I ask for forgiveness from their families and from all the young people who marched for democracy," he said.

He also referred to the political crisis the country is going through.

"Let us work for a better Peru, more united, with less rivalry and less confrontation. A more inclusive Peru. That is the great demand of the citizens' movement," said Sagasti, who assured that the transitional government will not be a partisan government.

An engineer by training, Sagasti is an experienced political strategist. In 1996, he was among those kidnapped and held hostage at the Japanese ambassador’s residence in Lima by members of the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement.

Many in Peru are cautiously optimistic that the centrist lawmaker can steer the country back to stability, but people say he has an element that plays in his favor: he is not under investigation for corruption, which cannot be said about Peru's seven previous presidents, who were all either accused of corruption, indicted, arrested or jailed.

Peru plunged into turmoil last week when Congress voted to oust former President Martín Vizcarra. Former speaker of Congress Manuel Merino was appointed interim president on Nov. 10, which triggered violent protests by angry demonstrators who did not agree with Vizcarra’s removal. Merino resigned after two people died and 107 were injured during protests against his government.​​​​​​​

Sagasti is expected to serve out his term until July next year, with a new presidential election scheduled for April 11.