Read the statement below and consider signing your name to it here.

We, the undersigned, scholars of Peru and Latin America, express our concern about the ongoing political crisis in Peru and publicly condemn the parliamentary coup orchestrated by the Peruvian Congress against President Martín Vizcarra.

The recently established de facto government of Manuel Merino lacks all lawfulness. He has taken power with the support of a Congress that lacks legitimacy and is mired in corruption scandals. Over half of the representatives who voted to remove Vizcarra are currently being investigated by the judiciary.

Since the 2016 General Election, political actors entrenched in Congress have pushed an agenda of destabilization focused on safeguarding their economic and political interests and transforming their status into immunity against multiple corruption charges. Now, five months before the General Election, they have launched a parliamentary coup. 

The Peruvian constitution grants the people, not the Congress, the right to elect the president. Congress can only remove a president in cases when certain specific conditions apply. Rumours, accusations, and ongoing judicial investigations are not included among those conditions. Thus, Congress has unlawfully removed president Vizcarra, in what is in effect a parliamentary coup and not an impeachment. 

We condemn the repression against organized civil society who have mobilized since the night of November 9th, using their constitutionally protected rights of dissent and protest. We believe that state repression against these protesters only reinforces the authoritarian nature of the congressional coup. 

We call on multinational organizations and the international community to examine the unlawfulness and illegitimacy of the measures conducted by the Peruvian Congress. In particular, we call for the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights to oversee that the right to protest is upheld, and for the Organization of American States to apply the standards of the Inter-American Democratic Charter.

Add your name to this petition by clicking here.

Signatures:

Javier Aguilar
Universidad de Shanghai

Marcos Alarcón Olivos
University of Illinois, Urbana – Champaign

Raúl Alencar
Tulane University

Lissette Aliaga Linares
University of Nebraska at Omaha

Nataly Allasi Canales
University of Copenhagen

Patricio Alvarado
Universität zu Köln

Mark Anderson
University of Georgia

Catherine Andrews
CIDE

Angelly Judith Aquise Rios
University of California, Santa Cruz

Andrea Aramburú Villavisencio
CLAS

Olivia Arigho Stiles
University of Essex

Diego Arispe Bazán
Northwestern University

Diego Ascarza Mendoza
University of Minnesota

Alexander Aviña
Arizona State University

Liliana Ayala
Universidad de Antofagasta

Robert Baca
Université Sorbonne Nouvelle

Jacqueline Baeza-Rubio
The University of Texas at Arlington

Fernando Barandiaran
Universität Duisburg-Essen

Catherine Barbour
University of Surrey

Manuel Barcia
University of Leeds

Danielle Barefoot
University of Arizona

Nino Bariola
University of Texas at Austin

Jorge Bayona
University of Washington

Anthony Bebbington
Clark University

Ximena Bedon
UNALM

Jere Behrman
University of Pennsylvania

Dante Bengoa
Université de Caen.

Aldo M. Benites-Palomino
Universität Zürich

Jelke Boesten
King’s College London

Diego Bohórquez
Universitat Pompeu Fabra

Will Boose
Emory University

William A. Booth
Oxford/UCL

Martín Bowen Silva
New York University Abu Dhabi

Alyssa Bowen
UNC Chapel Hill

Lucia Bracco
PUCP

Jordan Brasher
Columbus State University

Julia Brock
University of Alabama

Jo-Marie Burt
George Mason University & Washington Office on Latin America (WOLA)

Ricardo Cabrera
Universidad de Chile

Lianka Cairampoma Barros
Johannes Gutenberg University

W. Rocio Calderon Silva
Torrens University Australia

Fernando Calderón Figueroa
University of Toronto

Franco Calle
The University of Chicago

Miguel Camacho Rufino
ENS, Lyon

Amie Campos
University of California San Diego

Elizabeth Campbell Florian
University of Exeter

Anna Cant
London School of Economics and Political Science

Anai Caparo Bellido
University of North Dakota

Alonso Cárdenas
PUCP y UARM

Ricardo Carmona
Georgetown Day School

Barry Carr
La Trobe University

Ana Sofía Carranza Risco
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Michael D. Carrasco
Florida State University

Regina Casanova Pérez
University of Washington

Matthew Peter Casey
Arizona State University

Vanessa Castañeda
Tulane University

Susana Castro Pando
UT MD Anderson Cancer Center

Cristián Castro
Universidad Diego Portales

Martín Cavero
EHESS

Victoria Cavero
UNMSM

Diego Cerna Aragon
Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Giulia Champion
University of Warwick

David Chang van Oordt
Cornell University

Elizabeth Chant
University College London

Anahí Chaparro
Universidad Federal de Río de Janeiro

Kelsey Chatlosh
Brooklyn College

Rohan Chatterjee
University of Chicago

Cynthia Chepe
The University of Manchester

Adriana Churampi Ramírez
Leiden Universiteit

María Ciliotta
Clara Torres Central Connecticut State University

Claudia Cisneros
Ohio University

Kim Clark
University of Western Ontario

Kevin Coleman
University of Toronto

Lucia Coll
PUCP

Olivier Compagnon
Université Sorbonne Nouvelle

Francisco Córdova Zavaleta
Instituto Politécnico Nacional, México

Karoline Cook
Royal Holloway University of London

Omar Corone
University of Notre Dame

Caterina H. Cosmópolis del Carpio
University of Sheffield

Hanne Cottyn
University of York (UK)

Lisa Covert
College of Charleston

Alvaro Cox
Yale University

Angelo Cozzubo
University of Chicago

Raymond Craib
Cornell University

Mercedes Crisóstomo Meza
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Joanna Crow
University of Bristol

Lucía Cuba
New School University

Andrea Cuentas Condori
Vanderbilt University

Alejandra Cueto Piazza
Brown University

Tony Cueva Bravo
University of Michigan

Fritz Culp
University of South Carolina

Alexander Curry
Institute of Latin American Studies

Constanza Dalla Porta
Princeton University

Gaudi Delgado Falcón
Linköping University

Pilar Delpino Marimón
Clark Universiry- Stanford U

Juliana Demartini Brito
University of Cambridge

Francesca Denegri
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Peru

Rosanna Dent
New Jersey Institute of Technology

Paulo Drinot
University College London

Fiorella Eduardo
Southern Illinois University- CUNY

Francisco A. Eissa-Barroso
University of Manchester

Cindy Ermus
University of Texas at San Antonio

Silvia Escanilla Huerta
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Roxana Escobar
University of Toronto

Alfredo Escudero
Florida International University

Juan Miguel Espinoza Portocarrero
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Augusto Espinoza
University of Michigan-Ann Arbor Paris

G. Antonio Espinoza
Virginia Commonwealth University

Dino Estrada Flores
Universidad Tecnológica del Peru

Nereyda Falconi
University of Massachusetts

Tulia Falleti
University of Pennsylvania

Marta Favara
University of Oxford

Tamara Feinstein
Murray State University

Joseph Feldman
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Adriana Fernández
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Sol María Isabelle Fernández Rodríguez
University of Oxford

Jerico Fiestas Flores
University of Alberta

Mercedes Figueroa
Freie Universität Berlin

Caroline Filice Smith
Harvard University

Jose Flor Toro
Northwestern University Economics

Emily C. Floyd
University College London

Hilary Francis
Northumbria University

Victor Gallegos Rejas
The University of Queensland. Australia

Cecilia Garavito
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Michael Garcia
The University of Texas at Austin

Miguel García Rojas
UNMSM

Camila Gatica Mizala
Instituto de Historia UC (Chile)

Diego Geng
PUCP

Niall Geraghty
UCL

Gabriela Germana
University of South Florida

Julie Gibbings
University of Edinburgh- University of London

Micaela Giesecke
University of Oxford

Jessica Gilbert
Texas A&M University

John Gledhill
The University of Manchester

Pedro Gonzales
University of Wisconsin.

Eduardo Gonzalez
New School University

Dr. González Palacios
Paris-Nanterre University

Nicolás Alejandro González Quintero
The University of Texas at Austin

Geoff Goodwin
London School of Economics and Political Science

Karen Graubart
University of Notre Dame

Stephan Gruber Narváez
Max Planck Institut für Gesellschaft Forschung, Köln

Anouk Guiné
Université Le Havre Normandie

Andrea Guzman
University of Wisconsin

Andrea Guzman
University of Wisconsin Madison

Nell Haynes
Saint Mary’s College

Mark Healey
University of Connecticut

Erika Helgen
Yale University

Christopher Heaney
Pennsylvania State University

Flor Hernandez
University of Texas El Paso

Pilar Margarita Hernández Escontrías
California Appellate Project

Morgana Herrera
Université Toulouse Jean Jaurès

Russell Huamán
Pachapaq for the earth.

Marco Huarancca Ninanya
École Polytechnique de Paris

Maria ClaudiaClaudia Huerta Vera
UC Davis

Mo Hume
University of Glasgow

José Incio
University of Pittsburgh

Alexis Iparraguirre
The Graduate Center

Jessica Ishiyama
Escuela Nacional Superior Autónoma de Bellas Artes del Perú

Juan Carlos Jeri Vidal
University of California, Santa Cruz

Paul Katz
Columbia/Jain Family Institute

Carlos Krapp López
University of Arizona
Daniela Laínez del Pozo
University College London

Erick Langer
Georgetown University

Pablo Lapegna
University of Georgia

Daniel Lavayen
Universidad Carlos III de Madrid

Kathryn Lehman
Indiana University

Claudia León
Universidad Peruana de Ciencias Aplicadas

Claudia Leon Chavarri
MIT

Gianmarco Leon
U. Pompeu Fabra

Adrián Lerner
Princeton University

Eben Levey
University of Maryland – College Park UK

Eldad Levy
University of Texas at Austin

Gabriella Libonati
King’s College London

Valeria Lindley Llanos
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Rosa Natalí Llique Ramírez
PUCP

Liliana Loayza Salazar
Roche Molecular Diagnostics USA

Fiorella Loli
Pennsylvania State University

Rocío López de la Lama
UBC – IRES

Lucia Luna-Victoria Indacochea
UC Davis

Verónica Luyo
PUCP

Gilbert M. Joseph
Yale University

Jessica Maeda
Duke University

Ximena Málaga Sabogal
NYU

Jane Mangan
Davidson College

Henry Maquera
Rutgers University

Walther Maradiegue
Carleton College

Phoebe Martin
UCL

Virginia Marzal Sanchez
Universidad Nacional de Ingenieria

Adriana Massidda
De Montfort University

Christine Mathias
King’s College London

Elena McGrath
Union College Madison

Angus McNelly
Queen Mary University of London

Alexis Medina
Université de Franche-Comté

Luis Meléndez Guerrero
University of Western Ontario

Alicia Mendieta
Pachapaq for the earth

Glenda Mendieta-Leiva
University of Marburg

Tania Mendo
University of St. Andrews

Javier Mendoza Revilla
Institut Pasteur

Valeria Mesía
Université Paris Dauphine

Kevin J. Middlebrook
University College London

Rosa Muriel Mestanza García
Université de Paris

Julio Meza Díaz
McGill University

Giuseppina Meza
The University of Toronto

Edward Mezones-Holguin
Peruvian College of Physicians

Nara Milanich
Barnard College

Rory Miller
University of Liverpool

Kenneth Mills
University of Michigan

Aaron Alexander Miranda Llanto
estudiante de economía de la UNMSM

Carlos Molina Vital
University of Illinois

Maxine Molyneux
University College London

Elizabeth Montanez-Sanabria
Österreichische Akademie der Wissenschaften

Fiorella Montero-Diaz
Keele University

Gabriela Mora
Forsbergs Skola

Roxanna Morote
Norwegian University of Science and Technology PUCP

Dr. Nathaniel Morris
UCL

Macarena Moscoso Barrio
Instituto de Estudios Peruanos

Javier Muñoz-Diaz
University of Michigan

Eduardo Muro
University of Bonn

Andrés Napurí
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos

Rodrigo Narro Pérez
McMaster University Ontario

Sharie Neira Ríos
Université de Paris

Valeria Neves Carrillo
PUCP

Andrew Nickson
University of Birmingham

Gabriela Irem Noles Cotito
University of Pennsylvania

Rafael Novella
University College London

Yvana Novoa Curich
PUCP

Regula Ochsenbein
Universitaet Bern

Clayton Oppenhuizen
Michigan State University

Josué Ortega Caro
Baylor College of Medicine

Kelly Ortega
Universidad del Cabo Oriental

Sandra Ossio
Howard University

Nelson Oviedo
University of Michigan

Pablo Palomino
Emory University

Roy Palomino
Sorbonne Université

Cristian Luis Paredes
Loyola University Chicago

Alberto Patiño
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Alexandre Pereira Santos
University of Hamburg

Omar Pereyra
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Justin Perez
University of California Santa Cruz

Liliana Pérez Miguel
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Fernando Pérez Montesinos
UCLA

Ginno Pérez Salas
Universidade Federal Fluminense

Jimena Perry
East Carolina University

María de los Ángeles Picone
Boston College

Natalia Piland Chicchón
Florida International University

Julio Pinto
Universidad de Santiago de Chile

José Antonio Piqueras
Universitat Jaume I

Tristan Platt
University of St Andrews

Juan José Ponce Vázquez
The University of Alabama

Jennifer Karen Ponce Cori
University of Pittsburgh

Olga Patricia Ponce Travezaño
University of Birmingham

Mario Ponce
Morehouse School of Medicine

Bianca Premo
Florida International University

David Preston
University of Leeds

Pablo Pryluka
Princeton University

Javier Puente
Smith College

José Carlos de la Puente
Texas State University

Lorena de la Puente Burlando
University of California

Ramon Quintero
League of United Latin American Council

Sarah A. Radcliffe
University of Cambridge

Abel J. Ramos
Florida International University

Gabriela Ramos
University of Cambridge

Oscar Reátegui B.
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Mark Rice
Baruch College, City University of New York

Lina Rincón
Framingham State University

Stefan Rinke
Freie Universität Berlin

María Gracia Ríos
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Alfredo Riquelme Segovia
Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile

Miryam Rivera Holguín
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Facundo C. Rocca
Conicet/LICH-UNSAM Argentina

Denisse Rodriguez Olivsri
Humboldt Universität zu Berlín

Luis Rodríguez Toledo
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Magaly Rodríguez
KU Leuven

Omar Rojas-Padilla
Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio Grande do Sul

Andrea Roman Alfaro
University of Toronto

Tania Romero Barrios
Université Paris

Gonzalo Romero Sommer
Stony Brook University

Marlen Rosas
University of Pennsylvania

Novak Niurek Rubio Rios
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Alejandra Ruiz Leon
Georgia Tech

Alejandro Ruiz Philipps
PUCP

Emily Johana Ruiz Puerta
University of Groningen/ University of Copenhagen

Sergio Saez Diaz
UNMSM

Kenyi Saito Díaz
University of Georgia- University of London

Mariela Salas Sanchez
King’s College London

Mariana Salas
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Valeria Sanchez Cervera
UC Berkeley student

Ciara Marienne Sanchez Paredes
University of York

Liliana Sanchez
University of Illinois Chicago

Roberto Sánchez Montoya
Universidad Politécnica Salesiana

Diego Sánchez
Ancochea (University of Oxford)

Kenneth Sánchez
University College London

Jorge Sanchez-Pérez
McMaster University

Alejandro Santistevan
Centro de Investigación y Docencia Económicas

Margarita Saona
University of Illinois at Chicago

Joshua Savala
Rollins College

Patricio Simonetto
University College London

Julie Skurski
The Graduate Center

C. Steven Sevillano Ríos
Cornell University

Natalia Sobrevilla
University of Kent

Matteo Stiglich
Universidad del Pacífico

Joel Stillerman
Grand Valley State University

Yukyko Takahashi
Independent Scholar

Romina Tantaleán Castañeda
University of British Columbia

Gabriela Távara
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Eveling Tavera Fernandez
Simon Fraser University

Carlos Tello Barreda
University of California Davis

Morayma Temoche-Diaz
University of California, Berkeley

Juan Tenorio
Michigan State University

Mark Thurner
University of London

Manuel Tong
University of Sussex

Teresa Tovar Samanez
PUCP

Juan Trelles
University of Illinois at Chicago

Viviana Trigoso
PUCP

Camilo Trumper
University at Buffalo (SUNY)

Daniela Ugarte Villalobos
University at Albany (SUNY)

Cledy Ureta
UNALM

Cesar Diego Urquizo Ubillus
University of Pennsylvania

Patricia Urteaga
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Leslye Valenzuela
Paris Nanterre University

Kim Valladares Diestra
Federal University of Paraná

Alexia Vallenas Wiesse
EHESS

Estefanía Vargas Aparicio
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Jaime Vargas Luna
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos

Cesar Vasquez Chacon
University of Maryland

Winy Vasquez
University of British Columbia

Imelda Vega-Centeno B.
Centro Bartolomé de Las Casas

Paola Vela
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Talia Vela-Eiden
Hochschule Düsseldorf

Daniel Velasquez
University of Michigan

Amilcar Velez
Northwestern

María Laura Veramendi García
Syracuse University

Angela Vergara
Cal State LA

Gisselle Vila Benites
University of Melbourne

Fabiola Alba Vivar
Columbia University

Gustavo Vizcardo
University of British Columbia

Peter Wade
University of Manchester

Frans Weiser
University of Georgia

Eva Willems
Philipps University Marburg

Lesley Wolff
Texas Tech University – Clark University

Ilse de Ycaza
Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú

Fabiola Yeckting Vilela
Universidad Nacional Mayor de San Marcos

Alejandra Watanabe Farro
University of California, Santa Cruz

Antonio Zavaleta
EHESS, Paris

Carol Zavaleta Cortijo
UPCH

Magdalena Zegarra
University of Michigan

Corinna Zeltsman
Georgia Southern University

María Bárbara Zepeda Cortés
Lehigh University

Martín Zúñiga Chávez
UNSA

Title image: Gahela Tseneg Cari Contreras y Sergio Tejada confronting the Peruvian police. November 10, 2020. Photo by Rodrigo Abd.