After a break in the final stretch of 2022, supporters of Pedro Castillo, leader deposed after an attempted coup d’état in Peru, have again organized street demonstrations and roadblocks in various regions of the country to demand the resignation of President Dina Boluarte.
The first acts of this resumption took place on Wednesday (4), but this Thursday (5), several highways were still impeded by the protests. According to the Peruvian press, the demonstrations were concentrated in the south of the country and were mostly peaceful, with isolated episodes of violence.
There are no reports of deaths or injuries, according to the Ombudsman’s Office, the body responsible for guaranteeing the constitutional rights of the Peruvian population.
In the Cusco region, 8 of the 13 provinces have recorded roadblocks, especially on the highways that connect to neighboring regions. Trade closed its doors and public transport was also paralyzed. An airport that had been invaded by protesters in the December demonstrations continued to operate, but with security reinforced by the police and allowing only passengers to enter.
As a precaution, the train between Cusco and Machu Picchu, one of the main tourist attractions in Peru, is suspended indefinitely to ensure safety. In December, thousands of tourists were stranded in the region due to the closure of the railway and the airport as a result of the protests – now, 2,000 tourists have been removed from the region to avoid problems, according to the police. Tourism accounts for 4% of GDP and generates about 8% of jobs. An association of hotels and restaurants estimates the damage caused by the political and social crisis in the country at US$ 2.5 billion (R$ 13.5 billion).
In an interview with the newspaper El Comercio, Rolando Luque, of the Ombudsman’s Office, said that stoppages, blockades and demonstrations had spread to 36 of Peru’s 195 provinces — equivalent to 18.4% of the territory. “There is no articulation at the national level, what exists are local summons”, he stated.
In downtown Lima, a group of dozens of demonstrators trying to reach the Congressional headquarters was dispersed with tear gas by the police. In the confusion, media professionals were injured.
In Arequipa, police used tear gas to disperse dozens of people and there was a clash between demonstrators and agents near the local airport. Castillo supporters also used rocks and tires to close roads in the Junín and Apurímac regions. In Puno, a tollbooth was set on fire and, in the Amazon region of Madre de Dios, the Interoceanic Highway, which connects Peru to Brazil, was also blocked.
This Thursday, the second day of the new wave of acts, the largest registered protests brought together about 100 people. Some public transport companies have suspended their activities for security reasons in response to the more than 30 blocked points accounted for.
Defense Minister Jorge Chávez hinted that there are “infiltrators with a terrorist background” in the protests. He refers to people linked to the Sendero Luminoso guerrilla, which spread terror in Peru between the 1980s and 2000s.
Chávez also stated that five Bolivian citizens believed to be encouraging the demonstrations had been identified. Among groups opposed to Castillo, there are those who say that the former president of Bolivia Evo Morales, an ally of the Peruvian, also has a hand in stimulating the protests.
President Dina Boluarte, who took over from Castillo after his coup attempt, urged Evo to stop interfering in Peruvian affairs and said immigration authorities were looking into possible restrictions on his entry into Peru. Hours later, Evo called on Twitter for the Peruvian right to stop “massacres, illegal arrests, persecution” and accusations of terrorism against indigenous people – one of the groups with the most relevant role in the wave of demonstrations.
On Tuesday, Dina was denounced to Congress by left-wing congresswoman Ruth Luque due to an alleged violation of the Constitution in last month’s acts. At least 22 died in the protests, according to official figures. In the complaint, which also includes ministers from Dina’s cabinet, Luque claims that the president failed to guarantee the full enforcement of human rights — a prerogative of the Chief Executive, according to the Peruvian Charter. The complaint will be evaluated by a parliamentary committee.
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