LIMA, Dec 12 (Portal) – Peru’s new president on Monday offered lawmakers a plan to bring the election forward by two years after the ouster of its predecessor last week sparked protests that killed at least seven people.
President Dina Boluarte, previously a vice president, was sworn in last week after former President Pedro Castillo was removed from office by Congress and arrested for attempting to dissolve the legislature while preventing an impeachment trial against him.
But Castillo supporters argue that Boluarte was not popularly elected. Demonstrators have taken to the streets to demand Peru hold new elections, with some calling for the closure of Congress and the release of Castillo.
The head of the Peruvian ombudsman’s office, Eliana Revollar, said seven people had died during the two-day protests, all from gunshot wounds.
Authorities in Apurimac earlier on Monday reported the deaths of a 16-year-old and two 18-year-olds, while another death was reported in Arequipa and two teenagers were killed on Sunday.
“These are really unnecessary deaths,” Revollar told local broadcaster Epicentro, adding that at least 32 civilians and 24 police officers were injured.
Citing “difficult times,” Peru’s sixth president in the last five years said she proposes bringing the next general election forward to April 2024. They were previously scheduled for 2026.
In a handwritten letter posted to his Twitter page on Monday, Castillo called Boluarte’s early campaign pledge a “dirty game” and ridiculed her as a “usurper,” calling for an immediate assembly to rewrite the nation’s constitution .
Castillo also said that despite his lawful impeachment, he will not step down as president. He is being held in a Lima jail while prosecutors investigate him on alleged crimes of rebellion and conspiracy.
The left-wing governments of Argentina, Bolivia, Mexico and Colombia issued a joint statement on Monday calling for the protection of Castillo’s human and judicial rights, adding that the “agents” behind Castillo’s ouster “put the will of the people first.” should, of the 27 polls.”
Castillo was narrowly elected last year with Boluarte as his running mate.
[1/11] Peruvian lawmakers attend a session in Congress as new President Dina Boluarte proposed a plan to bring the elections forward after the ousting of her predecessor Pedro Castillo sparked protests that left several dead, December 12, 2022 in Lima, Peru . Portal/Gerardo Marin
Some civilian and indigenous groups at the world’s second-biggest copper producer also announced a strike starting Monday in Apurimac, home to significant mining projects including Las Bambas, a major copper mine owned by China’s MMG Ltd (1208.HK).
A source in Las Bambas, who has been fighting blockades for years, told Portal that she has received more blockade threats amid a “radicalization” of protests against the company by locals.
“HIGH CONFLICT”
Castillo, a former teacher and small farmer, has received strong support from rural and mining areas over the past year. But in his first year in office, allegations of corruption mounted against him while he presided over unprecedented turnovers among senior ministers.
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Since last week, protests have been taking place in cities in central Peru and in the capital Lima, involving hundreds or thousands of people, which have at times turned violent.
The UN human rights office warned of a further escalation in a statement on Monday, urging the authorities to exercise restraint and fully investigate the deaths of protesters.
In Apurimac, authorities ordered the airport to be closed after an attack by protesters, and parts of Peru’s main coastal road were closed in Ica and Arequipa on Monday.
LATAM Airlines (LTM.SN) said it canceled flights to and from Arequipa after protesters reportedly burst into an airstrip.
“Dina Boluarte does not represent us. She is a traitor. She is incompetent,” Juan Calle said at a demonstration in Lima, demanding the arrest of the new president and the release of Castillo.
Boluarte, 60, declared a state of emergency in areas of “high conflict” which allowed soldiers to take more control.
“I have given the instructions so that internal order can be peacefully restored without affecting people’s fundamental rights,” said Boluarte, who lamented the deaths.
Reporting by Marco Aquino; writing by Anthony Esposito and Sarah Morland; Edited by Alistair Bell and Rosalba O’Brien
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