Following the resignation of President Kuczynski, Vizcarra returned to Peru to assume the presidency on 23 March 2018, a day after his 55th birthday. Upon being sworn in, Vizcarra stated in regards to corruption, "we've had enough", promising to lead against such practices in the Andean nation. Peruvian author and
Nobel laureate in Literature Mario Vargas Llosa stated that Vizcarra's "credentials are pretty good" and that although other Peruvian politicians have faced political controversy, Vizcarra "has acted within the law". Vargas Llosa also noted that if Vizcarra's popularity were to increase enough, "then immediately in Congress, the Fujimoristas will forget their internal struggles and will probably make life difficult for him".
Climate change On 17 April 2018, President Vizcarra signed the Law for Climate Change, allowing for more funding toward the Ministry of the Environment (MINAM) to monitor and
combat climate change by analyzing
greenhouse gas emissions while also creating a framework of inter-ministerial cooperation regarding the climate. The signing made Peru the first country in South America to have a climate law, with Vizcarra stating that climate change could no longer be ignored and that the Government of Peru had an obligation to work together to provide a better environment for future Peruvians.
The Washington Post stated that "Vizcarra's decisive response to a graft scandal engulfing the highest tiers of the judiciary ... has some Peruvians talking of a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to restore integrity to public life and revive citizens' waning faith in democracy". Leftist lawmaker
Marisa Glave, who was once a critic of Vizcarra, praised the move saying he had "connected with the people in a society that is both fed up with corruption but also deeply apolitical. It has put the Fujimoristas in check". On 9 December 2018, Peruvians ultimately accepted three of four of the proposals in the referendum, only rejecting the final proposal of creating a bicameral congress when Vizcarra withdrew his support when the Fujimorista-led congress manipulated the proposals contents which would have removed power from the presidency.
Dissolution of congress In the
Constitution of Peru, the executive branch can dissolve congress after a second vote of no-confidence. the first vote of no-confidence during that current congressional body. For the next four months, congress delayed bills targeting corruption and postponed general elections proposed by Vizcarra. Demanding reforms against corruption, Vizcarra called for a vote of no confidence on 27 September 2019, stating it was "clear the democracy of our nation is at risk". In response to Vizcarra's actions, the media in Peru began a
fearmongering campaign, arguing that left-wing political candidates would be elected in the parliamentary elections and attempt to draft a new constitution.
2020 Peruvian parliamentary election In January 2020, the Constitutional Court of Peru defended Vizcarra's actions, with four judges approving and three judges disapproving of the action. On 26 January 2020,
a legislative election was held to replace the dissolved congress, with the previous Fujimorist majority being replaced with many centrist parties.
COVID-19 pandemic During Vizcarra's tenure, Peru experienced the second-highest number of COVID-19 cases in Latin America, with 292,004 cases and 10,045 deaths as of 2 July 2020. Medical experts commented that the severity of the outbreak in Peru can be explained at least in part due to existing socioeconomic circumstances. Nearly one-third of Peruvians live in overcrowded homes and 72% have informal jobs, requiring them to work daily. Peru's
gross domestic product fell 30.2 percent in the second quarter of 2020 as a result of economic lockdown measures, the largest decline of all major economies, with many small service businesses that represent the majority of businesses of Peru's economy going bankrupt during the crisis. Employment also dropped 40 percent compared to the previous rate while the Peruvian government approved 128 billion
PEN ($35.8 billion
USD) of tax relief and low-rate business loans to deter further economic decline. Humala was sentenced to 19 years in prison following his
Andahuaylazo uprising against President
Alejandro Toledo that resulted in the deaths of police. Since early 2020, investigations began surrounding a contract for a little-known singer Richard Cisneros to perform speeches for the Ministry of Culture. On 10 September 2020, Alarcon, who faced possible
parliamentary immunity revocation related to alleged acts of corruption, released audio recordings purporting that Vizcarra acted with "moral incapacity". The recordings allegedly contain audio of Vizcarra instructing his staff to say that he met with Cisneros only on a limited number of occasions and audio of Cisneros saying that he influenced Vizcarra's rise to office and decision to dissolve congress. After reports emerged that Merino reportedly reached out to the Peruvian armed forces to support the process and was forming his own cabinet, support among lawmakers for impeaching Vizcarra decreased. Had Vizcarra already been impeached by that time, Merino would have already acted as interim leader until the current presidential term ends in July 2021.
Second impeachment trial (November 2020) In a separate impeachment trial, lawmakers from nine opposition parties accused Vizcarra of corruption and mishandling of the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. He was also accused of accepting bribes from companies that won at least two public works contracts—one for a hospital and another for an irrigation project—during his term as governor of
Moquegua Department. On 9 November 2020, a total of 105 members of Congress voted to remove Vizcarra from office, exceeding the 87 votes (out of 130) that were needed to impeach him. Vizcarra called the accusations baseless and false, but still accepted the vote by Congress and promised not to take any other legal action. Vizcarra's impeachment was considered by many as a
coup d'état. Thousands of citizens then gathered in
protests against Vizcarra's impeachment.
Manuel Merino, who succeeded him as president the following day, resigned on 15 November.
Francisco Sagasti was made
President of Congress on the 16th and thus succeeded Merino as President of Peru on 17 November per Peru's presidential line of succession, since both vice presidential positions were vacated by Vizcarra in 2018 and
Mercedes Aráoz in May 2020. == Post-presidency (2020–present) ==