MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peru, at least 48 deaths in anti government protests and night curfew in Andean region

Castillo had been a political outsider before he narrowly beat neoliberal rival Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of former autocratic President Alberto Fujimori, in 2021.

Anti government protests, involving the death of at least 48 people and hundreds injured, continued in Peru, a month since elected president Pedro Castillo was removed from office and replaced by interim president Dina Boluarte.

The country's first woman president and former vice president, was inaugurated when president Castillo elected in 2021, and in constant clashes with congress, announced plans to dissolve the Legislative, but was then arrested on charges of attempting a coup. This sparked broad unrest in the country with at least 48 deaths so far, including a police officer who was set on fire by a furious uncontrolled mob.

The public prosecutor's office has launched an investigation into the Boluarte administration together with prime minister Alberto Otarola and other cabinet members on suspicion of aggravated homicide and bodily injuries, because of the repression, the second such investigation since the protest related deaths.

PM Otarola said security forces had “maintained public order in this state of emergency.” He also emphasized the government was not acting in an authoritarian fashion and would not be blackmailed by violence.

However Raul Tecco, of the Friedrich Ebert German Foundation in Lima said that “security forces are acting inappropriately and disproportionately”. Tecco blames officials for the conduct of the security forces. “A soldier will not open fire without backing from his superior,” he said.

Castillo had been a political outsider before he narrowly beat neoliberal rival Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of former autocratic President Alberto Fujimori, in 2021.

Castillo's victory was not necessarily the result of his socialist ideas — which some Peruvians associated with the Shining Path guerrilla movement — but rather his anti-establishment appeal. But this may also explain his difficulty in establishing a properly functioning government, which ultimately caused a rift between the presidency and parliament.

His successor, Boluarte, has not fared much better. After breaking with Castillo, she has struggled to gain the support of Peru's left-wing parties. And she certainly cannot expect any support from the conservatives.

Besides the lack of a strong political parties' legislation, demanding a minimum percentage for existence, and the jumping of elected officials between groupings, has been an ongoing curse of Peruvian politics, despite the run offs, since there is no stable coalition to sustain the winning Executive

PM Otarola revealed that a police officer was burnt alive in his patrol car in the Andean city of Juliaca by a mob. His companion was tied up and beaten and is in serious condition in a regional hospital. A night curfew in the region was imposed as a result of the clashes with a toll of 48 deaths, 531 injured and 329 arrests. .

Protestors are demanding the resignation of president Boluarte, suspension of Congress, a constitutional convention and a snap election sometime this year.

From Brasilia president Lula da Silva administration urged Brazilian citizens to suspend or avoid travelling to Peru unless urgent or indispensable trips because of the ongoing antigovernment protests and critical situation.