The mobilizations that took place a year ago in Peru after Pedro Castillo’s failed self-coup attempt and the inauguration of his vice president, Dina Boluarte, tried to regroup this Thursday with the call for four consecutive days of protest. Under the slogan “Let them all go”, a sector of the population took to the streets to demand the resignation of Boluarte, the closure of Congress and a Constituent Assembly for a new Constitution. They also protested the recent release of former President Alberto Fujimori.
The first day was calm, with no injuries or arrests, and less massive than expected. The organizers hope that the call will increase from this Friday, a national holiday, and during the weekend. According to the Ombudsman’s Office, the mobilizations took place in 20 provinces in 15 of the 25 regions of Peru. Most of the coast and the southern mountains.
This time there was no road blockade, as in the past, and only a partial incident was recorded in Arequipa. This is explained by a Government maneuver: a legislative decree that modified the penal code and established between 10 and 15 years in prison for “the impact of land routes, as well as port, railway and airport infrastructure.”
One of the scenes that left the day occurred in Juliaca: the mothers and wives of the protesters who lost their lives in last year’s protests implored justice, dressed in black, with photos of their relatives. In Lima, at night, a group of protesters reached Congress, in the historic center, but without confronting the Police.
The morning began with a presidential proclamation in Plaza La Bandera, in the Lima district of Jesús María. Boluarte decreed December 7 as “Day of institutionality, the rule of law and the defense of democracy”, in reference to Castillo’s self-coup and his subsequent takeover. She urged the population to pursue peace and trust in the Executive. “Peru will continue forward. Our democracy will emerge stronger. “Together we will be able to rebuild our country on more solid foundations,” he said, and called for “the broadest unity from day one.” According to the consulting firm Datum Internacional, the president has just 11% approval.
The broad movement of opponents, made up of workers, students and indigenous communities, suffered the wear and tear of a long season of demonstrations without achieving their objectives and a very harsh police repression, which left more than 60 dead in confrontations with the agents.
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