anti-government protests complete a month

Peruvian President Dina Boluarte marked one month in office on Saturday amid protests against her government, which stemmed from the ouster of her predecessor Pedro Castillo for trying to dissolve Congress on December 7, 2022.

The protests, which demand the advancement of the general elections, the resignation of Boluarte and the closure of Congress, are more intense in the central and southern regions of the country, and have resurfaced with new momentum since Wednesday in some areas, after a partial truce for the end-of-year holidays.

The Ombudsman’s Office reported on Saturday afternoon mobilizations, strikes and roadblocks in 18 provinces, which is equivalent to 9.2% of all those in the country.

In addition, it registered 66 blockade points on national roads and clashes with law enforcement in the vicinity of the airport in the city of Juliaca, in the Puno region, in southern Peru, with a balance of 12 civilians injured during the day, the second demonstration of great magnitude after the one registered the day before.

EFE photojournalist Aldair Mejía was injured in the leg by the impact of a police pellet, according to a complaint, and was taken to a local hospital.

The reporter warned that in the clinic to which he was transferred they tried to record that the wound was from the impact of a stone, but he insisted that it was a pellet used by the police.

The Association of Foreign Press in Peru (APEP), the National Association of Journalists (ANP) and other journalistic organizations deplored the attack on the photographer.

The Juliaca airport maintains the suspension of its operations as a result of the violence.

The Ombudsman’s Office also reported mobilizations and concentrations in 6 provinces, paralysis of activities in 3 and blockades in 17. Almost all the provinces where these demonstrations took place are in the southern regions of Puno, Cusco, Madre de Dios and Ica, and only one in the region northeastern Amazon.

In Lima, passenger land transport companies maintain the suspension of trips to the cities of southern Peru, where the protests continue with intensity.

A sector of the country questions the participation of former Bolivian President Evo Morales in meetings with groups opposed to the government in Puno, who are in favor of a secession from the country in which southern Peru emerges as a separate state.

Given this, the conservative congressman José Cueto filed a criminal complaint against Morales, whom he accuses of promoting the separation of the southern regions. In his lawsuit, he also asks that Morales be prohibited from entering Peru.

In response, Morales said on Twitter: “right-wing oligarchic groups in Peru try to intimidate us with lies and untenable denunciations.” He added that “the brutal repression against indigenous brothers who demand justice, democracy and recovery of their natural resources continues” and argued that “deep Peru has awakened.”

“The only separatism in Peru is caused by racism, exclusion and discrimination of the power groups in Lima against their own people,” he added on the same social network.

Boluarte said that he will talk with Migrations of Peru to evaluate the Morales case.

Connect with the Voice of America! Subscribe to our channel Youtube and activate notifications, or follow us on social networks: Facebook, Twitter and instagram.