Peru's vice-president resigns amid power struggle

Get Best Daily Health Tips Here

Peru's vice-president has resigned from her post after declining the opposition's nomination to be interim leader, saying she hoped it would pave the way for a new general election.

Mercedes Aráoz said the "constitutional order had broken" and that the country faced a "grave institutional crisis".

President Martín Vizcarra on Monday dissolved Congress, but opposition MPs suspended him and swore in Ms Aráoz.

On Tuesday, armed police blocked legislators from entering Congress.


Some 20 MPs were inside the congressional building in the capital, Lima, refusing to leave in protest against President Vizcarra's dissolution, while streets around parliament were in lockdown.

In a late-night post on Twitter, Ms Aráoz cited a statement by the Organization of American States that Peru's constitutional court should determine the legality of Mr Vizcarra's decision to dissolve Congress.

She said she hoped that her resignation would lead to a general elections being called as soon as possible, for "the good of the country".