The Republic of Peru has two vice presidents, the First Vice President and the Second Vice President, who are elected along with the President in democratic elections.[1] Their only constitutional mission is to replace the President in case of death, permanent or temporary incapacity, resignation, being abroad without the permission of Congress, failure to return from abroad at fixed time, and/or dismissal or removal from office as allowed by the Constitution.Note 1[2] They cannot be appointed outside of general elections.

First Vice President and
Second Vice President of
the Republic of Peru
Primer Vicepresidente Constitucional de la República
Segundo Vicepresidente Constitucional de la República
Gran Sello de la República del Perú
Great Seal of the State
Incumbent
First Vice President:
Vacant (latest incumbent Dina Boluarte)
Second Vice President:
Vacant (latest incumbent Mercedes Aráoz)
since 7 December 2022 (First)
and 7 May 2020 (Second)
ResidenceGovernment Palace
AppointerOnly direct popular election
Term lengthFive years, renewable indefinitely
Inaugural holderDiego de Aliaga (1823)
Juan Antonio Pezet and Pedro Diez Canseco (1862)
Formation1823 (Vice President)
1862 (First Vice President and Second Vice President)
SuccessionFirst and Second

The First and Second Vice Presidents are first and second in the presidential line of succession.[3] The leader of Congress, the President of the Congress, follows the First Vice President and the Second Vice President in the line of succession.

In modern Peruvian history, two Vice Presidents have acceded to the presidency after the President could no longer serve, Martín Vizcarra and Dina Boluarte. The 32nd First Vice President Martín Vizcarra assumed the office of the presidency in 2018 after the graft scandal that led to the resignation of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.[4] The 33rd First Vice President Dina Boluarte assumed the office of the presidency in 2022 after President Pedro Castillo attempted to dissolve Congress and was impeached and removed from the presidency.

Historically, the position was one of a sole Vice President, which was in place in the years 1829–1831 and 1858–1862. The dual positions of First and Second Vice Presidents have been in place since 1862.

The office of the First Vice President is currently vacant, the most recent First Vice President having been Dina Boluarte. The office of the Second Vice President is also currently vacant, the most recent Second Vice President having been Mercedes Aráoz.

History

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Vice President

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The position of Vice President of Peru appeared for the first time in the Constitution of 1823:[5]

"ARTICLE 76: There will be a Vice President in whom the same qualities concur. He/she will administer and withhold Executive Power in event of the death, resignation, or impeachment of the President, or when the president is unable to control the armed forces." Constitution of 1823

The Constitution of 1828 and the Life Constitution of 1826 also proposed only one vice president, who had to be appointed by the president. In the Constitution of 1834, the office was disbanded until the Magna Carta of 1856, which reinstated the sole vice-presidency.

First Vice President and Second Vice President

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The Constitution of 1860 established two vice-presidents, elected jointly with the President.

Article 89: "There will be two Vice Presidents of the Republic, named first and second, who will be elected at the same time, with the same qualities and for the same period as the President. Constitution of 1860

In the Constitution of 1867, the power of vice-presidents was eminently curtailed. However, this constitution held in place for a short period until a successful revolution of that same year restored the Constitution of 1860.

Similarly, the Constitution of 1920 abolished the positions of vice-presidents. The Constitution of 1933 failed to change this, but the office was eventually restored by the second presidency of Óscar R. Benavides, by law on 1 April 1936. In 1939, via plebiscitary consultation, a constitutional amendment was made restoring the office of vice president and second vice president.

The 1993 Constitution and the current constitution in force — put forth by President Alberto Fujimori — recognizes the double vice-presidency in the Executive Branch.

In recent history, there have been two instances where the First Vice President has acceded to the presidency after the President could no longer serve. The 32nd First Vice President Martín Vizcarra assumed the office of the presidency in 2018 after the graft scandal that led to the resignation of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. The 33rd First Vice President Dina Boluarte assumed the office of the presidency in 2022 after President Pedro Castillo attempted to dissolve Congress and was impeached and removed from the presidency. No Second Vice President has recently acceded to the presidency.

Current officeholders

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The office of the First Vice President is currently vacant. The most recent First Vice President is Dina Boluarte, who held the office until 7 December 2022 after President Pedro Castillo's self-coup d'état attempt and removal from the presidency. The office of the Second Vice President is also currently vacant because Castillo's second running mate, Vladimir Cerrón, was disqualified by the National Jury of Elections to run as Second Vice President in the 2021 election due to Cerrón having served a prison sentence for corruption since 2019.[6][7]

The most recent Second Vice President is Mercedes Aráoz, who held the office until her resignation was accepted by Congress on 7 May 2020.[8] Earlier, on 30 September 2019, the Peruvian Congress had been in the midst of the 2019 Peruvian constitutional crisis and named Aráoz as Acting President after having declared President Martín Vizcarra unfit for office.[8][4][9] Given that Congress had itself been dissolved earlier that day by President Vizcarra and that Aráoz supported the Vizcarra's call for new congressional elections, she irrevocably resigned as Second Vice President on 1 October 2019, to leave Vizcarra as the sole claimant to the presidency. Aráoz's resignation was not accepted until 7 May 2020, by a newly elected Congress.[8][4][9][10][11][12]

List of vice presidents of Peru

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Portrait Pos. Vice President Political party Inaugurated Left office President Notes
- Diego de Aliaga November 1823 February 1824 José Bernardo de Tagle [5]
  - Manuel Salazar y Baquíjano August 1827 June 1829 José de la Mar [5]
  - Antonio Gutiérrez de la Fuente 1 September 1829 16 April 1831 Agustín Gamarra [5]
  - Juan Manuel del Mar 24 October 1858 16 June 1862 Ramón Castilla [5]
  First Juan Antonio Pezet Military 24 October 1862 5 August 1863 Miguel de San Román [5]
  Second Pedro Diez Canseco [5]
  First Mariano Herencia Zevallos Military 2 August 1868 27 July 1872 José Balta [5]
  Second Francisco Diez Canseco [5]
  First Manuel Costas Arce Civilista Party 2 August 1872 2 August 1876 Manuel Pardo y Lavalle [5]
Second Francisco Garmendia Puértolas [5]
  First Luis La Puerta 2 August 1876 18 December 1879 Mariano Ignacio Prado [5]
Second José Francisco Canevaro [5]
  First Lizardo Montero Flores 12 March 1881 6 November 1881 Francisco García Calderón [5]
  Second Andrés Avelino Cáceres [5]
  First Remigio Morales Bermúdez Constitutional Party 3 June 1886 10 August 1890 Andrés Cáceres [5]
  Second Aurelio Denegri [5]
  First Pedro Alejandrino del Solar Constitutional Party 10 August 1890 1 April 1894 Remigio Morales Bermúdez [5]
  Second Justiniano Borgoño [5]
  First César Canevaro Constitutional Party 10 August 1894 20 March 1895 Andrés Cáceres [5]
  Second Cesáreo Chacaltana Reyes [5]
  First Guillermo Billinghurst Democratic Party 8 September 1895 8 September 1899 Nicolás de Piérola [5]
Second Augusto Seminario Váscones [5]
  First Isaac Alzamora Alianza Civil-Demócrata 8 September 1899 8 September 1903 Eduardo López de Romaña [5]
Second Federico Bresani [5]
  First Lino Alarco Brediñana Civilista Party - - Manuel Candamo Died 13 June 1903 before taking office[5]
  Second Serapio Calderón 8 September 1903 7 May 1904 [5]
  First José Salvador Cavero Ovalle Civilista Party 24 September 1904 24 September 1908 José Pardo y Barreda [5]
  Second Serapio Calderón 1907 [5]
  First Eugenio Larrabure y Unanue Civilista Party 24 September 1908 24 September 1912 Augusto Leguía [5]
  Second Belisario Sosa Constitutional Party [5]
  First Roberto Leguía Civilista Party 24 September 1912 4 February 1914 Guillermo Billinghurst [5]
  Second Miguel Echenique [5]
  First Ricardo Bentín Sánchez Alianza Civil-Constitucional-Liberal 18 August 1915 4 July 1919 José Pardo y Barreda [5]
  Second Melitón Carvajal [5]
  First César Canevaro 12 October 1919 31 October 1922 Augusto Leguía [5]
  Second Agustín de la Torre González 12 October 1924 [5]
  First Ernesto Montagne Markholz Peruvian Army 13 April 1936 8 December 1939 Óscar R. Benavides [5]
  Second Antonio Rodríguez Ramírez [5]
  First Rafael Larco Herrera Conservative 8 December 1939 28 July 1945 Manuel Prado Ugarteche [5]
  Second Carlos D. Gibson [5]
  First José Gálvez Barrenechea National Democratic Front 28 July 1945 29 October 1948 José Bustamante y Rivero [5]
Second Eduardo Ganoza y Ganoza [5]
  - Zenón Noriega Agüero Peruvian Army 29 October 1948 1 June 1950 Manuel A. Odría De facto
  First Héctor Boza Odriíst National Union 28 July 1950 28 July 1956 [5]
  Second Federico Bolognesi [5]
  First Luis Gallo Porras Peruvian Democratic Movement 28 July 1956 18 July 1962 Manuel Prado Ugarteche [5]
Second Carlos Moreyra y Paz Soldán [5]
  First Nicolás Lindley López Peruvian Army 18 July 1962 3 March 1963 Ricardo Pérez Godoy De facto
Second Pedro Vargas Prada De facto
  First Edgardo Seoane Corrales Popular Action 28 July 1963 3 October 1968 Fernando Belaúnde Terry [5]
Second Mario Polar Ugarteche Christian Democracy [5]
  - Luis Edgardo Mercado Jarrín Peruvian Army 3 October 1968 30 August 1975 Juan Velasco Alvarado De facto
- Pedro Richter Prada 30 August 1975 28 July 1980 Francisco Morales Bermúdez De facto
  First Fernando Schwalb Popular Action 28 July 1980 28 July 1985 Fernando Belaúnde Terry [13][5]
  Second Javier Alva Orlandini [13][5]
First Luis Alberto Sánchez Peruvian Aprista Party 28 July 1985 28 July 1990 Alan García Pérez [13][5]
  Second Luis Alva Castro [13][5]
  First Máximo San Román Change 90 28 July 1990 5 April 1992 Alberto Fujimori [13][5]
Second Carlos García y García [13][5]
  First Ricardo Márquez Flores Change 90-New Majority 28 July 1995 28 July 2000 [13]
Second César Paredes Canto [13]
  First Francisco Tudela Peru 2000 28 July 2000 22 November 2000 Resigned.[13]
  Second Ricardo Márquez Flores
  First Raúl Diez Canseco Popular Action 28 July 2001 14 December 2004 Alejandro Toledo Manrique Resigned[13]
  Second David Waisman Possible Peru 28 July 2006 [13]
  First Luis Giampietri Peruvian Aprista Party 28 July 2006 28 July 2011 Alan García Pérez [13]
  Second Lourdes Mendoza [13]
  First Marisol Espinoza Peruvian Nationalist Party (until 2015)

Alliance for Progress (since 2015)

28 July 2011 28 July 2016 Ollanta Humala [13]
  Second Omar Chehade Peruvian Nationalist Party 16 January 2012 Resigned [13]
  First Martín Vizcarra Peruvians for Change 28 July 2016 23 March 2018 Pedro Pablo Kuczynski Succeeded Kuczynski as President
  Second Mercedes Aráoz Independent politician -
First Vacant 23 March 2018 10 November 2020 Martín Vizcarra Vacant upon Martín Vizcarra's accession to the presidency
  Second Mercedes Aráoz Independent politician - 7 May 2020 Submitted her resignation on 1 October 2019 amidst the 2019–2020 Peruvian constitutional crisis, but her resignation was not officially accepted by Congress until 7 May 2020
First Vacant 10 November 2020 15 November 2020 Manuel Merino
Second Vacant
First Vacant 17 November 2020 28 July 2021 Francisco Sagasti
Second Vacant
  First Dina Boluarte Free Peru (until 2022)
Independent (since 2022)
28 July 2021 7 December 2022 Pedro Castillo Succeeded Castillo as President
Second Vacant President Pedro Castillo's winning ticket in the 2021 election originally had Vladimir Cerrón as nominee for Second Vice President before Cerrón's removal from the ticket due to his conviction on corruption charges[14]
First Vacant 7 December 2022 Dina Boluarte Vacant since Dina Boluarte's accession to the presidency
Second Vacant

See also

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Notes

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Note 1.^ While the Constitution itself does not give the Vice Presidents any role beyond deputizing the President, according to the Organic Law of the Executive Branch, however, the Vice Presidents can participate in the sessions and debates of the Council of Ministers "with voice but without vote", can fulfill additional functions that the President entrusts and assigns to them, and are also part of the Presidential Office's support staff.

References

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  1. ^ Artículo 111°, Constitución Política Del Perú. (Retrieved 6 October 2019.)
  2. ^ Artículos 113°, 114°, y 115°, Constitución Política Del Perú. (Retrieved 6 October 2019.)
  3. ^ Artículo 115°, Constitución Política Del Perú. (Retrieved 6 October 2019.)
  4. ^ a b c Disolución del Congreso en Perú: 4 claves para entender el enfrentamiento entre Vizcarra y el Parlamento (y lo que puede pasar ahora)", BBC Mundo, 2 October 2019. (Retrieved 6 October 2019.)
  5. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae af ag ah ai aj ak al am an ao ap aq ar as at au av aw ax ay az ba bb bc Abog. Freddy Ronald Centurión González. "LA INSTITUCIÓN DE LA VICEPRESIDENCIA DE LA REPÚBLICA EN LA CONSTITUCIÓN PERUANA" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 19 October 2019. Retrieved 19 October 2019.
  6. ^ "Pedro Castillo: Habrá minería "donde la naturaleza y la población la permitan"". Energiminas (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 April 2021.
  7. ^ "JNE declara improcedente candidatura Vladimir Cerrón" (in Spanish). Radio Cumbre. Archived from the original on 19 April 2021. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  8. ^ a b c "Disolución del Congreso en Perú: quién es Mercedes Aráoz, que renunció tras ser nombrada 'presidenta en funciones' por el Parlamento peruano para sustituir a Vizcarra", BBC Mundo, 2 October 2019. (Retrieved 6 October 2019.)
  9. ^ a b Disolución del Congreso de Perú: las dudas sobre la legalidad de la decisión de Vizcarra de disolver la cámara y sobre la suspensión temporal del presidente", BBC Mundo, 2 October 2019. (Retrieved 6 October 2019.)
  10. ^ Disolución del Congreso en Perú: renuncia Mercedes Aráoz, nombrada "presidenta en funciones" por el Parlamento en sustitución de Vizcarra", BBC Mundo, 2 October 2019. (Retrieved 6 October 2019.)
  11. ^ Aráoz, Mercedes [@MecheAF] (2 October 2019). "He decidido renunciar irrevocablemente al cargo de Vicepresidenta Constitucional de la República. Las razones las explico en la carta adjunta. Espero que mi renuncia conduzca a la convocatoria de elecciones generales en el más breve plazo por el bien del país. https://t.co/c4tz4tnzMw" [I have decided to irrevocably resign from the post of Constitutional Vice President of the Republic. I explain the reasons in the attached letter. I hope that my resignation leads to the calling of general elections in the shortest possible time for the good of the country.] (Tweet) (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 June 2022. Retrieved 14 December 2022 – via Twitter.
  12. ^ "Congreso acepta renuncia de Mercedes Aráoz a la segunda vicepresidencia de la República NNDC | PERU". 7 May 2020.
  13. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o "Presidentes y vicepresidentes desde 1980 en Perú, crisis y realidades". 26 July 2018.
  14. ^ O'Boyle, Brendan (21 June 2021). "The "Shadowy Figure" Behind Peru's Likely Next President". Americas Quarterly. Retrieved 8 December 2022.
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