The Executive Board of Public Services International, PSI, meeting virtually on 18-19 November 2020 expresses deep concern about the new political crisis in Peru, following the Vacancy Declaration agreed by the Congress of the Republic on 9 November 2020, which resulted in the removal of President Martín Vizcarra due to his moral incapacity to continue in the post, and the appointment of Congressman Manuel Merino to replace him. The latter then resigned on 16 November 2020, after a series of calls for his resignation and a night of intense demonstrations that resulted in two deaths, more than 100 injured and 41 disappeared, according to the national human rights coordinating committee. This situation led the Congress of the Republic of Peru to appoint Congressman Francisco Sagasti as the head of the transitional government to lead the country until July next year.

AGREES to support the position of PSI affiliates in Peru, who claim that this election only fills the gap left by the resignation of the usurper Merino. However, the underlying reasons of the crisis remain, ie, the breakdown of the corrupt, anti-democratic and exclusionary framework built by neoliberalism and enshrined in the Fujimori Constitution, which has been stripped bare and hastened by the current pandemic that has to date caused around one million people to be infected and more than 90,000 deaths.

JOINS the demand made by PSI affiliates for an immediate investigation and sanctions for those responsible for the savage repression of hundreds of young people, which resulted in the hospitalisation of many of the wounded, disappearances, and the murder of the students Inti Sotelo and Jack Pintado.

SUPPORTS the struggle for a new constitution that enshrines a new economic model and the complete reform of the state, in view of which the transitional government should arrange for a constitutional referendum to be held at the same time as the general elections in April.

DEMANDS that the transitional government responds to the demands of public sector workers to immediately stop the processes of privatisation of education, health, water, electric companies and ESSALUD and the reinstates the roundtable dialogue of the public employment group. Likewise, the Congress of the Republic should immediately approve a collective bargaining law for state workers, without duplicity.

EXPRESSES its support and solidarity with the Peruvian people, workers, and in particular PSI affiliates in the country, who are courageously facing this new political crisis in the country.