Peru's New President Martin Vizcarra 'More of the Same': Analysts

Analysts expect Peru's new President Martin Vizcarra to maintain the same economic and foreign policies as his predecessor Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (PPK), who resigned Wednesday after months of battling corruption charges and political scandal.

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"In general there is no difference between the two: the two privilege an economy focused on foreign investment… Vizcarra will maintain the guidelines that have characterized Peruvian diplomacy in the past 20 months," political analyst Augusto Alvarez told AFP.

The new president is also expected to further a neoliberal economic development agenda, and continue Peru's ongoing rejection of Venezuela's government.

During his swearing-in ceremony on Friday, Vizcarra promised to combat corruption and work for unity and a social pact that will allow Peru to experience "better times."

Vizcarra, set to finish Kuczynski's term on July 2021, must first face a hostile Congress: Luis Galarreta, president of the legislative branch, has already announced that relations "will be the same as with PPK."

Vizcarra has no personal political affiliations, and ruling party Peruvians for Change has less than 15 percent of congressional seats. Like his predecessor, he also lacks popular support: before he was sworn in, Peruvians took to the streets to demand new elections, chanting 'Out with them all!' in rejection of the political class.

The current president is not exempt from corruption scandal. He was appointed ambassador to Canada in October 2017 amid mounting accusations of irregularities in the contract for an airport in Cusco while he was minister of transport and communications (July 2017 – Mayo 2017).  

Without much substantial difference between Vizcarra and his predecessor he is unlikely to be able to put an end to the political crisis in Peru.