Peru in turmoil as protests for President's resignation intensify; buildings set ablaze: 10 points
3 min read . Updated: 20 Jan 2023, 05:54 PM IST
PremiumLima, the capital of Peru witnessed a large number of protesters flowing into the city to demand the resignation of President Dina Boluarte. Here are 10 points telling about the political turmoil in the Andean nation
Class struggle in the Peruvian politics seeped into the capital Lima as thousands of demonstrators came into the capital of Peru, calling for the removal of President Dina Boluarte. Since Congress ousted Pedro Castillo, the nation's first working-class president, in December when he attempted to dissolve parliament and rule by decree, deadly protests have engulfed Peru.
Seeing the rising protests, a state of emergency was declared in the Andean nation on 15 January.
The turmoil accentuated as the police opened fire with tear gas on the protesters. At least 53 people have died in the unrest since Peru's protest movement began in December, and a further 772 have been injured, the national Ombudsman's office said Thursday.
Here are 10 points about Peru's state of political peril-
1} Security personnel were attempting to stop the protesters from accessing significant governmental facilities, such as Congress, as well as the city's business and residential areas when skirmishes erupted between the demonstrators and the security personnel in Lima's historic downtown centre.
2} Intense divisions between the country's urban elite, which is mostly located in Lima, and the underdeveloped rural areas have been brought to light by the protests, which have been marked by the worst political violence in Peru in more than 20 years.
3} Several individuals attempted to pull down fences as smoke was spotted billowing from the fields near Arequipa's international airport, which grounded flights on Thursday. As the cops moved forward, protesters yelled "assassins" and flung rocks.
4} Demonstrations in Lima were marked by anger over Boluarte, as demonstrators chanted calls for her resignation. Street sellers hawked T-shirts saying, “Out, Dina Boluarte," “Dina murderer, Peru repudiates you," and “New elections, let them all leave."
5} The National University of San Marcos and key points of Lima’s historic downtown district were surrounded by police officers.
6} In a televised speech on Thursday night, Boluarte was defiant and thanked police for quelling the "violent protests" while also promising to hold those responsible for violence accountable. She stated that she is in favour of holding the presidential and congressional elections in 2024, two years earlier than originally planned.
7} Apart from Lima, demonstrators attempted to attack the airport in southern Arequipa, Peru's second city, according to a video posted on social media.
8} Protesters are calling the Thursday protest in Lima, The Cuatro Suyos March, named after the four cardinal points of the Inca empire. It was also the name of a large-scale movement in 2000 that saw thousands of Peruvians take to the streets to protest Alberto Fujimori's dictatorial rule, which ended months later.
9} The recent protests have generally been unorganised, grass-roots initiatives without a clear leader. This dynamic was evident on Thursday as demonstrators frequently appeared bewildered and unsure of where to go next because police officers was always in their way.
10} According to Associated Press, the Thursday protest in Lima suggested that demonstrations have intensified to the point where the public is no longer likely to accept Boluarte's departure and is instead calling for more significant structural transformation.
(With inputs from agencies)