Manuel Merino is a Peruvian politician who briefly served as the president of Peru in November 2020. Born on August 20, 1961, in Tumbes, a coastal region in the north of the country, Merino comes from a family of farmers and began his political career through various local positions. He studied agronomy, but it was in the political sphere where he gained most of his recognition, joining Acción Popular, one of Peru’s oldest political parties, founded by former president Fernando Belaúnde Terry.
Merino was first elected as a congressman in 2001, representing his home region of Tumbes. For several years, he had a relatively modest influence in Peruvian politics, serving multiple terms in Congress. His political profile remained somewhat low-key until he was elected president of the Peruvian Congress in March 2020. This position gave him a central role in national politics during a period of significant political turmoil.
Merino’s presidency began under controversial circumstances following the impeachment of President Martín Vizcarra on November 9, 2020, by the Congress, on charges of corruption. Despite Vizcarra’s popularity with the public for his anti-corruption efforts, his removal from office was widely seen as politically motivated by Congress members pursuing their own interests. As the president of Congress, Merino assumed the interim presidency, in line with the Peruvian Constitution.
However, Merino’s rise to power immediately sparked massive public outrage. Thousands of Peruvians took to the streets, viewing his presidency as a "parliamentary coup," arguing that Vizcarra’s removal was unjustified and that Merino lacked the legitimacy to govern. The protests escalated over the following days, and the handling of law enforcement was harshly criticized due to violent crackdowns on demonstrators. The death of two young protesters on November 14, 2020, further deepened the crisis and plunged the country into a period of intense instability.
Facing mounting pressure from protests, internal and external criticism, and after just five days in power, Merino was forced to resign on November 15, 2020. His presidency became one of the shortest in Peru’s history. He was replaced by Francisco Sagasti, who assumed the interim presidency until the 2021 elections.
Manuel Merino's brief tenure at the helm of the Peruvian state left a significant mark on the country’s political landscape. His rise to power, amid widespread mistrust of Congress, reinforced public skepticism toward political institutions. While he attempted to justify his actions as constitutionally appropriate, his presidency is largely viewed as an attempt to seize power that was ultimately thwarted by public resistance.
Since his resignation, Merino has kept a low profile, continuing to defend his role during this turbulent period. Nonetheless, his brief term in office is closely associated with one of Peru’s most severe political crises in recent history, marked by massive protests and violent repression.