MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peru: Curfew decreed in Puno after deadly riots

Otálora spoke of “the ghost of irrational violence”

Peruvian authorities have decreed a curfew in the Puno region following anti-government protests that left 18 people dead on Monday, Prime Minister Alberto Otálora announced on Tuesday.

”We have approved in the Council of Ministers a supreme decree that declares the mandatory social immobilization (curfew) in Puno for the term of three days from 8:00 pm until 4:00 am. This is to safeguard the life, integrity, and freedom of all the citizens of Puno,“ Otárola told a Congress plenum during his appearance to seek his appointment's Parliamentary endorsement.

Otálora also explained that a ”national working mourning“ had been declared for Wednesday ”out of respect to the fallen“ in the protests, which have left 47 people dead so far in little over a month since Vice President Dina Boluarte took over following President Pedro Castillo Terrones' impeachment.

A government mission is currently in Puno to assess the crisis and also to bring medical supplies and surgical equipment which could not be delivered to the healthcare facilities due to the protests, Otálora also explained while underlining the ”humanitarian“ nature of the trip. The Superintendence of Land Transportation reported blockades and traffic interrupted by picket lines in six regions: Puno, Cusco, Apurimac, Arequipa, Madre de Dios, and Amazonas. In Cusco and Ayacucho there were marches demanding Boluarte's resignation, new elections, and a Constituent Assembly.

Since Dec. 7, 39 demonstrators were killed in direct confrontations with law enforcement, 7 others died in incidents linked to the rioting, and a policeman was burned alive early this week in Puno. Otálora spoke of ”the ghost of irrational violence.“

Meanwhile, Peruvian prosecutors opened an investigation Tuesday on President Booluarte for the alleged crime of ”genocide“ after the list of deadly victims keeps growing.

”The Prosecutor of the Nation ordered to initiate a preliminary investigation against President Dina Boluarte; President of the Council of Ministers [Prime Minister], Alberto Otarola; Minister of the Interior, Victor Rojas; Minister of Defense, Jorge Chávez,“ according to a Twitter posting.

The officials are suspected of ”genocide, aggravated homicide, and serious injuries“ during anti-government demonstrations in the Apurímac, La Libertad, Puno, Junín, Arequipa, and Ayacucho regions.

”Violence is reaching unsuspected levels indeed. The Ombudsman's Office points out that this crisis and this political conflict will not be resolved with the participation of the armed forces or the police,” Ombudsman Eliana Revollar told AFP.

In this scenario, a delegation of the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) is due in Lima on Wednesday.