Manuel Merino de Lama stepped down as President of the Republic in his recent Address to the Nation from the Government Palace in the capital city Lima.
Merino has been in office for six days, and his resignation comes after the tragic events that ended up in the death of two young people during the national demonstration held on Saturday in Downtown Lima.
In his speech, he expressed his condolences to the families of the victims who died during the protests, which —he acknowledged— were carried out by citizens who exercised their right and freedom to demonstrate.
"The entire nation is in mourning. Nothing justifies that legitimate defense has triggered the death of Peruvians. These events must be thoroughly investigated by the corresponding authorities to determine responsibilities," he said.
"And I did it responsibly, humbly, and with honor. It was a challenge that I accepted and did not seek," he stated.
He admitted that many Peruvians are fed up with the ups and downs of the political class, noting that citizens are the only ones who can freely choose their authorities.