Peru

LIMA (Reuters) - Peruvian interim President Manuel Merino came under growing pressure on Sunday to resign after half his new cabinet stepped down following the deaths of two people in protests over the sudden ouster of his predecessor.

Thousands of Peruvians have staged some of the country’s largest protests in decades - mostly peaceful but some marred by clashes - since the Congress voted last Monday to remove Martin Vizcarra as president over bribery allegations, which he denies.

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Pressure was mounting on Peru’s interim president to resign Sunday after a night of protests in which two people were killed and the country’s political turmoil deepened.

At least eight of Manuel Merino’s Cabinet members had resigned by early Sunday and the president of Congress scheduled an emergency session to discuss the leader’s resignation.

Lima, Nov 14 (AP/PTI) University student Yessenia Medina was trying to concentrate on her virtual psychology class when a stunning headline popped up on her screen: Peru's Congress had voted to oust the nation's popular president.

Furious, the 23-year-old joined the thousands of students, workers and others protesting this week, decrying Congress and refusing to recognise the new president, Manuel Merino.

LIMA, Nov 7 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Four South American countries joined forces this week in a bid to combat illegal fishing by huge Chinese fleets off their coasts.

Chile, Colombia, Ecuador, and Peru threatened measures “to prevent, discourage and jointly confront” illegal fishing near their exclusive economic zones in the Pacific.

The joint statement made no specific mention of China but environmental groups Greenpeace and Oceana have repeatedly warned of the growing presence of massive Chinese fishing fleets in the area.

LIMA, Nov 4 (NNN-MERCOPRESS) — Peru’s Congress approved a motion to initiate a process to remove President Martín Vizcarra from office over corruption allegations, a month and a half after he survived a prior impeachment trial.

Lawmakers approved the measure in a 60-40 vote with 18 abstentions. Vizcarra is set to present his defense before Congress on Nov 9, with another vote to follow.

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Peruvian President Martín Vizcarra’s job is on the line Friday as opposition lawmakers push through an impeachment hearing criticized as a hasty and poorly timed ouster attempt in one of the countries hardest hit by the coronavirus pandemic.

Lawmakers appeared to be far short of the two-thirds majority vote required to remove Vizcarra from office, but even if he dodged the impeachment attempt analysts warned that he would not escape the ordeal entirely unscathed.

LIMA (Reuters) - Allies of Peruvian President Martin Vizcarra pledged on Saturday to fight an attempt by Congress to impeach him and accused a congressional official of trying to involve the military in the effort as political tensions spiked in the Andean nation.

Congress voted on Friday to pursue impeachment proceedings against Vizcarra, plunging the Andean country into political crisis even as the major copper producer battles an economic slump and coronavirus outbreak with one of the highest mortality rates in the world.

PUCALLPA, Peru (AP) — As COVID-19 spread quickly through Peru’s Amazon, the Indigenous Shipibo community decided to turn to the wisdom of their ancestors.

Hospitals were far away, short on doctors and running out of beds. Even if they could get in, many of the ill were too fearful to go, convinced that stepping foot in a hospital would only lead to death.

So Mery Fasabi gathered herbs, steeped them in boiling water and instructed her loved ones to breathe in the vapors. She also made syrups of onion and ginger to help clear congested airways.

Lima, Aug 23 (AP) Thirteen people died in a stampede at a disco in Peru after a police raid to enforce the country's lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, officials said Sunday.

The stampede happened at the Thomas disco in Lima, where about 120 people had gathered for a party on Saturday night, the Interior Ministry said.

People tried to escape through a door, trampling one another and becoming trapped in the confined space, according to authorities.

LIMA, Peru (AP) — Thirteen people died in a stampede at a disco in Peru after a police raid to enforce the country’s lockdown during the coronavirus pandemic, officials said Sunday.

The stampede happened at the Thomas disco in Lima, where about 120 people had gathered for a party on Saturday night, the Interior Ministry said.

People tried to escape through the only door of the second-floor disco, trampling one another and becoming trapped in the confined space, according to authorities.

After the stampede, police had to force open the door.