The president of Peru denied that she is going to resign from office, as claimed by several groups that protest against her in mobilizations that leave almost fifty dead. Dina Boluarte assumed power in December after the removal of her predecessor, Pedro Castillo, by attempt to dissolve Congress to prevent its removal.
“I will not resign. My commitment is with Peru and not with that tiny group that is making the country bleed,” Boluarte said in a televised message on Friday night.
He referred to those who are calling for his resignation as “some voices that come out of the violent and radical” and that are “inciting the population to chaos, disorder and destruction.”
In addition, he apologized for the deaths that occurred in the mobilizations.
“I cannot fail to reiterate my regret for the deaths of Peruvian men and women in the protests, both our civilian compatriots and the brave policeman who lost his life in an unfortunate manner. I apologize for this situation and for what has not been done to avoid these tragic events,” said the president.
“If we have made a mistake in the purpose of finding peace and calm, I apologize to the Peruvian people. We will know how to overcome and improve ”, he insisted at the end of the message.
In his speech, he questioned the seizures of airports and highways, the attacks on ambulances, the looting of shopping centers and the sabotage of shops. as part of the protests.
Boluarte urged Congress to speed up the approval of the early elections, one of the demands of the mobilizations. Parliament has a second vote pending to set them in 2024, which would imply a two-year reduction in the mandates of the executive and legislative branches. Several groups demand that they be held this year.
“This president does not want or intend to stay in power,” he said, adding that he asked the chamber to advance the date of the vote so that “the population knows a certain date that we already have the early election.”
On the other hand, he refuted the request to close Congress, another of the protesters’ claims, alleging that doing so without complying with the Constitution “would be walking outside the law.”
In addition, he questioned the demand to hold a Constituent Assembly, using neighboring Chile as an example “where the constituent process has lasted several years and, faced with the rejection of the citizens, a new process has been opened. This cannot be done overnight.”
In response to the request to release Castillo, Boluarte recalled that the case was in the hands of justice.
On Friday, mobilizations, strikes and roadblocks were registered in 44 provinces, the majority in the southern regions of the country, the Ombudsman’s Office explained in an evening report. In addition, it identified 83 blockade points on national roads and a violent incursion and the burning of a water pump belonging to the Antapaccay company, in Cusco.
As of Friday afternoon, the protests against Boluarte left 49 dead, including 41 civilians killed in clashes, a policeman burnt to death after an attack, and seven civilians who died in traffic accidents and other accidents related to road blockades, according to the Ombudsman’s Office.
The protests have gained new momentum after resuming last week after a partial truce for the New Year holidays. Among the protesters there are those who also demand the release of Castillo, who remains in pretrial detention for 18 months while being investigated for alleged rebellion.
Boluarte took office after Castillo, who had been president since 2021, was removed by Congress after trying to dissolve the institution in a television message on December 7. The president held the vice presidency and she was elected on the same list with her predecessor. Parliament swore her in the same day Castillo’s dismissal for being constitutional successor.
Castillo was arrested when he was circulating with his entourage along an avenue in the center of Lima. According to the Prosecutor’s Office, he was going to the Mexican embassy to seek political asylum.
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