Peru declares a 30-day state of emergency amid protests over the president’s arrest Peru

[ad_1]

Peru’s new government has declared a 30-day state of national emergency to quell the violent demonstrations that rocked the country after the overthrow and arrest of President Pedro Castillo a week ago.

The measure announced on Wednesday suspends the right to gather and move freely around the country – and comes just before the Christmas holidays when people would normally travel extensively to visit family.

“With this measure, we seek to guarantee order, the continuation of economic activities and the protection of millions of families,” Peruvian Defense Minister Luis Otarola wrote on Twitter after reaching the decision at a cabinet meeting. He added that the government had not decided whether to impose a curfew.

He said that “the National Police with the support of the Armed Forces will ensure control over personal property throughout the country and, above all, strategic infrastructure and the safety and well-being of all Peruvians.”

The action comes after a week of deadly unrest against Peru’s new president, Dina Bouluart, as protesters called for the replacement of all lawmakers and the reinstatement of Castillo, who was forced to step down after trying to dissolve Congress and rule by decree in a bid to secure the presidency. Avoid accountability over allegations of corruption.

“First of all, we don’t recognize Dina Poluart,” said Ronal Carrera, 32, a construction worker who wore his hard hat and traveled from Junín, in the central Peruvian Andes, to demonstrate in the capital, Lima. “She is a coup leader, and to this day our president is Pedro Castillo. Now we demand his reinstatement.”

At least seven people – five of them teenagers – were killed in clashes with police in the first week. They all died of gunshot wounds amid accusations of police repression by Amnesty International and national human rights groups.

“Peru cannot be overflowing with blood,” Bulwart said on Wednesday. “We already had that experience in the ’80s and ’90s, and I think we don’t want to go back to that painful history.” She was referring to the country’s bloody internal conflict with the Shining Path fighters, in which nearly 70,000 Peruvians died.

Poulwart added that a general election date could be set for December 2023. An earlier announcement to bring the election date forward by two years to April 2024 on Monday did nothing to quell the protests, which have paralyzed roads and airports across the country amid widespread vandalism and looting. Burning police stations, regional prosecutors and tax offices.

[ad_2]