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.Artículo 111°, Constitución Política Del Perú. (Retrieved 6 October 2019.) 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.Artículos 113°, 114°, y 115°, Constitución Política Del Perú. (Retrieved 6 October 2019.) They cannot be appointed outside of general elections.
The first and second vice presidents are first and second in the presidential line of succession.Artículo 115°, Constitución Política Del Perú. (Retrieved 6 October 2019.) 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. Martín Vizcarra assumed the office of the presidency in 2018 after the graft scandal that led to the resignation of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. 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 held by Luis Galareta. The office of the second vice president is currently held by Miki Torres.
History Vice president The position of vice president of Peru appeared for the first time in the Constitution of 1823:"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 and second vice presidents 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 1860In 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. Martín Vizcarra assumed the office of the presidency in 2018 after the graft scandal that led to the resignation of President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. 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
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.
The most recent second vice president is Mercedes Aráoz, who held the office until her resignation was accepted by Congress on 7 May 2020."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.) 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. 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.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.)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.)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.)
List of vice presidents of Peru Sole vice president: 1820-1860 Vice PresidentTerm of OfficeElectionPresident Start of Term End of TermDiego de Aliaga 18 November 1823 10 February 1824 Election of the Congress of the Republic (according to the Constitution of 1823, which created a single vice presidency). José Bernardo de Tagle Manuel Salazar y Baquíjano 9 June 1827 7 June 1829 Direct elections José de La Mar Antonio Gutiérrez de la Fuente 1 September 1829 16 April 1831 Election of the Congress of the Republic (according to the Constitution of 1828, which created a single vice presidency). Agustín Gamarra Juan Manuel del Mar 24 October 1858 16 June 1862 Direct elections (according to the Constitution of 1856, which established a single vice presidency). Ramón Castilla
Dual vice presidents: 1860-1920 Vice Presidents Term of Office Party Election President Start of term End of termThe Constitution of 1860 established two vice presidencies 1stJuan Antonio Pezet 24 October 1862 5 August 1863 Military Indirect elections (according to the Constitution of 1860, which established two vice presidencies). Miguel de San Román 2nd Pedro Diez Canseco Corbacho MilitaryVice presidencies vacant from 1863 to 1868 1st Mariano Herencia Zevallos2 August 186827 July 1872 Military Direct elections José Balta 2nd Francisco Diez Canseco Military 1st Manuel Costas Arce 2 August 1872 2 August 1876 Civil Party Direct elections Manuel Pardo y Lavalle 2nd Francisco Garmendia Puértolas Civil Party 1st Luis La Puerta 2 August 1876 18 December 1879 Civil Party Indirect elections Mariano Ignacio Prado 2nd José Francisco Canevaro ValegaVice presidencies vacant from 1879 to 1881 1st Lizardo Montero 12 March 1881 6 November 1881Military/Civilista Party Election by the Extraordinary Congress of Chorrillos, at the request of President García Calderón. Francisco García Calderón 2nd Andrés Avelino Cáceres MilitaryVice presidencies vacant from 1881 to 1886 1st Remigio Morales Bermúdez 3 June 1886 10 August 1890 Constitutional Party Indirect elections Andrés Avelino Cáceres 2nd Aurelio Denegri Constitutional Party1st Pedro Alejandrino del Solar10 August 18901 April 1894 Constitutional Party Indirect elections Remigio Morales Bermúdez 2nd Justiniano Borgoño Constitutional Party1st César Canevaro 10 August 1894 20 March 1895 Constitutional Party Indirect elections Andrés Avelino Cáceres 2nd Cesáreo Chacaltana Reyes Constitutional Party1st Guillermo Billinghurst8 September 18958 September 1899 Democratic Party Indirect elections Nicolás de Piérola 2nd Augusto Seminario y Váscones Democratic Party 1st Isaac Alzamora8 September 18998 September 1903 Civil-Democratic Alliance Direct elections Eduardo López de Romaña 2nd Federico Bresani Civil-Democratic Alliance 1st Lino Alarco Brediñana Died before assuming office Civilista Party Direct elections Manuel Candamo 2nd Serapio Calderón8 September 19037 May 1904 Civilista Party 1st José Salvador Cavero Ovalle 24 September 1904 24 September 1908 Civilista PartyDirect election. The 2nd Vice President was not elected.José Pardo y Barreda 1st Eugenio Larrabure y Unanue 24 September 1908 24 September 1912 Civilista PartyDirect electionsAugusto Leguía 2nd Belisario Sosa Constitutional Party 1st Roberto Leguía24 September 19124 February 1914 Civilista Party (Leguiista)Election by the Congress of the Republic.Guillermo Billinghurst 2nd Miguel Echenique Civilista Party (Leguiista) 1st Ricardo Bentín Sánchez18 August 19154 July 1919 Civil-Constitutional-Liberal AllianceDirect elections.José Pardo y Barreda 2nd Melitón Carvajal Military 1st César Canevaro12 October 1919 31 October 1922 Constitutional PartyDirect elections, ratified by Congress.Augusto Leguía 2nd Agustín de la Torre González12 October 1924Abolition of the Vice presidencies (1920–1936)
Dual vice presidents: 1936 onwards