Peru: the promise of early elections does not stop the tension, the pickets continue and Congress challenges Castillo

A bloody Sunday shook Peru after the defenders of the former president Pedro Castillodismissed and arrested for attempting a self-coup, he clashed with the police in different parts of the country and two young men were killed in Andahuaylas, 800 kilometers south of Lima.

Jaqueada, the new president Dina Bolarte has proposed calling elections in April 2024 but protesters want it to be earlier and Protests continue this Monday.

Boluarte declared announced a state of emergency in the south of the country.

“I announce the declaration of a state of emergency in areas of high social conflict. I declare that I have given the instructions for the peaceful restoration of control of internal order, without affecting the fundamental rights of citizens”. The blocks continue.

accident weekend

On the last day of an extra-long weekend in Peru for the Day of the Virgin and the bridge festival to promote tourism, protests by supporters of former President Castillo, who are calling for an election call to designate a new Congress, they multiplied. Protesters have carried out roadblocks in the north and south of the country, marches in Lima in front of the Parliament.

In Andahuaylas, in the south of the country, protests have been taking place since Saturday more violent. Protesters kidnapped two policemen for a while on Saturday. “There were two policemen stopped by the crowd who weren’t participating in the operations, but were circulating, one in civilian clothes, and the crowd identified and detained them,” he informed clarion Colonel Luján, of the National Police.

but on Sunday violence has increased. “Inhabitants of the areas surrounding Andahuaylas came down and attacked public entities such as the tax office, the police building,” said Luján and acknowledged the seizure of the airport with the vandalism of the building and the subsequent airport closure. Two young men died in clashes with the police.

I took in an 18 year old boy a bullet to the head and another 15-year-old boy died trying to take over the airport.

The population reacted with the fire at the local police station. “The life of no Peruvian deserves to be sacrificed for political interests. I express my condolences for the death of a citizen in Andahuaylas. I reiterate my call for dialogue and an end to violence,” said President Boluarte.

At 21:00, the ministers they met urgently due to the violence and after midnight the president announced that she would propose to Congress the advancement of the elections in April 2024, but it does not seem to reach Castillo’s followers.

In Pucalpa, 700 kilometers east of Lima, they maintained the blockade of the road. “The cut will continue because it was announced for 2024 and we want it to be in 2023,” said Luis Tejada, secretary general of the Ucayali Defense Front.

Furthermore, at kilometer 619 of the Panamericana Sur, in the district of Arequipa, the picket of miners continues despite the presidential announcement.

They also maintain cuts in the Panamericana Norte. At the height of Chao, about 500 kilometers north of Lima, they held a picket on Monday.

In Cusco they have called for a march at 16:00, but before that, at 14:00, there will be a meeting of the unions to evaluate the measures to follow after the call for elections. Stiffening of the position is expected.

Congress removes Castillo’s immunity and could extend remand

In a controversial session, in which there were also beatings between deputies, with 67 votes in favor and 45 against in the Congress which met on Sundayremoved immunity former president Pedro Castillo and can now be prosecuted by the prosecution after the failed coup he tried to implement last Wednesday.

Therefore, the prosecutor Patricia Benavides can ask to extend the pre-trial detention for up to 36 months while the investigation into Castillo, who up to now has a term of preventive detention for seven days, continues until next Wednesday.

Lima, special envoy

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