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| Martín Vizcarra | |
|---|---|
| Name | Martín Vizcarra |
| Birth date | 1963-03-22 |
| Birth place | Lima |
| Nationality | Peru |
| Alma mater | National University of Engineering (Peru) |
| Occupation | Engineer, Politician |
| Party | Independent |
Martín Vizcarra (born 22 March 1963) is a Peruvian engineer and politician who served as the 57th President of Peru from 2018 to 2020. He rose from regional administration in Moquegua Region and a diplomatic post as Ambassador of Peru to Canada to national office as First Vice President of Peru and Minister of Transport and Communications before assuming the presidency following the resignation of Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. Vizcarra's tenure emphasized anti-corruption measures and institutional reforms amid tensions with the Congress of the Republic of Peru, culminating in his impeachment and removal from office and subsequent legal controversies.
Vizcarra was born in Lima and raised in a family with roots in the Moquegua Region. He attended the National University of Engineering (Peru), where he studied civil engineering, and completed postgraduate studies that linked him to professional circles such as the Peruvian Chamber of Construction and technical bodies associated with infrastructure projects. During his formative years he engaged with regional development initiatives connected to the Ministry of Housing, Construction and Sanitation (Peru), local municipal administrations in Moquegua, and public works programs influenced by multinational contractors and bilateral cooperation agencies like Japan International Cooperation Agency and Inter-American Development Bank.
As a civil engineer Vizcarra worked on projects in Moquegua and participated in regional planning with the Regional Government of Moquegua. He served in public service roles that brought him into contact with institutions such as the Ministry of Transport and Communications (Peru), the National Superintendency of Public Registries (Peru), and regional offices influenced by Peru's decentralization reforms from the 1990s, interacting with actors including the National Institute of Statistics and Informatics (Peru), the Peruvian Association of Municipalities, and private firms engaged in mining and infrastructure like Southern Copper Corporation, Anglo American, and Glencore. His administrative trajectory included a governorship in Moquegua that connected him with bilateral cooperation, municipal consortia, and regional councils shaped by policies developed in Lima.
Vizcarra entered national politics allied to the presidential ticket of Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in 2016 as First Vice President of Peru and was appointed Minister of Transportation and Communications (Peru) by Kuczynski, linking him to legislative debates in the Congress of the Republic of Peru and oversight by constitutional bodies like the Defensoría del Pueblo (Peru). After Kuczynski's resignation amid the fallout from the Brazilian Operation Car Wash investigations and Peruvian scandals involving figures such as Alejandro Toledo, Ollanta Humala, Alan García, and Keiko Fujimori, Vizcarra assumed the presidency in 2018. His administration faced political conflicts with Congressional leaders associated with parties such as Popular Force (Fuerza Popular), led by Keiko Fujimori, and negotiated with institutions including the Supreme Court of Peru, the Public Ministry (Peru), and international partners like the Organization of American States and the United Nations.
Vizcarra championed anti-corruption initiatives that sought constitutional and legislative reforms, engaging with the Congress of the Republic of Peru on proposals inspired by measures advocated by entities like the OAS Mission to Support the Fight against Corruption and Impunity in Peru and civil society movements including Proética (Peru) and Sindicato de Trabajadores. His government promoted changes to the Constitution of Peru procedures, judicial selection reforms affecting the Judicial Branch (Peru), and measures targeting corruption in public procurement involving the Procurement Supervisory Agency (Peru). High-profile actions targeted entrenched networks exposed by Operation Car Wash and implicated business and political actors including corporations tied to the Brazilian construction conglomerates that had been central to regional scandals. Vizcarra's initiatives prompted debates with the Constitutional Court of Peru, the Public Ministry (Peru), and international organizations like the World Bank and Inter-American Development Bank over transparency and institutional strengthening.
Political friction culminated in 2019 when Vizcarra invoked his authority to dissolve the Congress of the Republic of Peru after clashes with parliamentary leaders affiliated with Popular Force (Fuerza Popular) and others, leading to a constitutional crisis that engaged the Constitutional Court of Peru and observers such as the OAS and the International Monetary Fund. In November 2020, the Congress of the Republic of Peru voted on articles of impeachment, citing allegations including "moral incapacity" tied to accusations of influence peddling and alleged irregularities involving regional contracts; prominent political figures such as Manuel Merino, who succeeded him briefly, and members of blocs connected to Acción Popular (Peru), Alianza para el Progreso (Peru), and FREPAP played roles in the proceedings. The removal triggered nationwide protests involving civil society groups, labor unions, student organizations from universities like the National University of San Marcos and Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, and international reactions from governments including United States, Spain, and regional bodies.
After his removal Vizcarra returned to his native Moquegua and became involved in legal proceedings led by the Public Ministry (Peru) and investigations by prosecutors and anti-corruption units that examined alleged irregularities in public contracts, with mentions of figures such as former regional officials, contractors, and intermediaries. Cases referenced evidence-gathering by institutions like the Judicial Branch (Peru), the National Police of Peru, and forensic offices, and involved legal actors including high-profile prosecutors and judges. International organizations monitoring judicial due process, including the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, observed developments. Vizcarra also participated in public debates, engaged with media outlets such as El Comercio (Peru), La República (Peru), and international press, and maintained contacts with regional political actors and civic platforms concerned with anti-corruption and institutional reform.
Vizcarra is married and has children; his family and private life have been subjects of media coverage by outlets such as Panamericana Televisión, América Televisión, and print media. His presidential legacy is contested: supporters credit him with prioritizing anti-corruption reforms and aligning with civil society organizations like Proética (Peru) and international partners such as the OAS, while critics point to executive-legislative clashes with parties like Popular Force (Fuerza Popular), the circumstances of his removal by Congress of the Republic of Peru, and subsequent legal controversies involving the Public Ministry (Peru)]. His tenure is frequently discussed alongside the administrations of Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, Ollanta Humala, Alan García, and the political rise of Keiko Fujimori within analyses by academics at institutions including the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru and the National University of San Marcos.