The Peruvian capital woke up heavily guarded, with thousands of police mobilized, health services on red alert, with restricted public services and calls on employers to prioritize remote work and make entry to workplaces more flexible, in the face of a general strike called by various unions and unions for this day that could be decisive for the government of Dina Boluarte.
In recent days, social networks and local media have spread images showing dozens of people in southern Peru boarding buses, vans, and vans amid the expectation of those who stayed, who would provide them with water and food for their trip. of several hours and even days heading to Lima.
The scenes came mostly from the towns where the violent protests that have left fifty dead and hundreds injured since they began in December intensified, after the left-wing professor Pedro Castillo, who governed the country for just over a year and medium, tried unsuccessfully to close Congress and establish an emergency government, for which he was dismissed and arrested.
The protesters demand the departure of President Dina Boluarte, whom they consider responsible for the deaths, they ask for the immediate holding of general elections, the closure of Congress, a Constituent Assembly and even the release and reinstatement of Castillo.
The Minister of the Interior, Vicente Romero, with almost a week in office who watches over the internal security of the country, asked the demonstrators that the protests be peaceful. “We don’t want more deaths, we don’t want more injuries. Enough of blood, enough of mourning families in Peru. We don’t want any more pain,” he told reporters.
The government declared a State of Emergency over the weekend, “to restore order”, in the regions of Lima, Puno and Cusco, and in some localities considered high risk such as Callao, Andahuaylas, Tambopata, among others, which implies that the freedoms of assembly, transit, and the forces of order are empowered to intervene in any home or place if required.
Despite this, the protests continue. The day before, a woman died in the midst of anti-government demonstrations in Macusani, Puno, from a “firearm projectile,” according to the medical report. Shortly after, a mob set fire to the local police station and the headquarters of the Judiciary.
Meanwhile, roadblocks continue in various parts of the country, which has stranded hundreds of travelers, cargo trucks and merchandise, causing the increase in prices of basic products and shortages in markets in some towns. In addition, the Ombudsman’s Office confirmed the death of two people due to lack of medical attention when the passage was closed in a section of the Panamericana Norte.
“The Taking of Lima”
Hundreds of people who have already arrived in the capital have been marching peacefully through various points of the city equipped with flags, banners and in many cases wearing their typical clothing, anticipating what they have dubbed “The taking of Lima”, which would have its high point in the late evening.
“I call you to take Lima, yes, but in peace, in calm. I’ll wait for you at the government house to be able to talk about the social agendas you have,” President Boluarte recently said. She has assured that she will not resign and has said that there are demands from the protesters that she cannot meet, such as closing Congress or release Castillo.
Boluarte was Castillo’s vice president and when he was removed, she replaced him in office, becoming the country’s first female president. In the six weeks that he has been in office, he has had to face violent protests not seen in decades in Peru, which in turn generated a strong response from law enforcement officers with a high cost in lives that has poured more gasoline into the streets. demonstrations that now go more against him.
The president, who upon taking office said that she would stay until 2026, has asked Congress to approve the advancement of elections to April 2024; however, parliament has not given priority to the matter. Both the Boluarte government and the Legislative have an approval rating that does not exceed 20%, according to recent surveys.
Part of the protesters who arrived in the Peruvian capital settled in the headquarters of two emblematic state universities: the Universidad Mayor de San Marcos and the National University of Engineering.
Given the national strike and the “La toma de Lima” march called for this Thursday, the Ministry of Health recommended that all health establishments at the national level adopt basic preventive measures “in the face of adverse anthropic situations that could arise putting at risk the health of people who participate directly or indirectly in possible confrontations and congregations of multiple people in Lima and regions”.
And given possible difficulties with public transport, the Ministry of Labor requested flexibility with the hours of entry to the work centers and prioritize remote work.
The government has assured that behind the protests there are dark interests and financing of drug trafficking and illegal mining that seek to destabilize the country.
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