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The president of Peru assured on Friday that she will not resign from office, despite strong political pressure and demonstrations in the streets that have left 42 dead.
“Some voices that come from the violent and radicals ask for my resignation, inciting the population to chaos, disorder and destruction, I tell them in a responsible manner: I am not going to resign, my commitment is with Peru,” Boluarte said in a message to the country broadcast by state television.
The situation in the Andean country has been explosive, with violent protests and blockades that have been maintained for 12 consecutive days.
On Friday, the city of Arequipa, the second largest in the country, experienced a day of almost complete blockade. Tourist Cusco and the train to Machu Picchu were also affected by this situation.
In the Tacna border, 1,220 km southeast of Lima, there were marches, for which neighboring Chile decided to close its steps.
The protests criticize the management of Boluarte and demand his resignation, and demand the advancement of the elections, officially scheduled for April 2024. In the demonstrations, calls for a Constituent Assembly have been heard, which the left-wing parties and peasant organizations have been demanding since 2021. as well as justice for those responsible for the 42 deaths registered in confrontations with the forces of order.
The blockade of roads, especially in the historically marginalized south of the country, has also extended to areas of the jungle. Meanwhile, the protests reached the capital.
In Lima, demonstrators demanded on Thursday with banners the “Closing of the Congress Now. New Constitution”, or chanted “Dina, assassin, enemy resignation”, during a march.
