Peru has been in a political crisis for a month already, after Pedro Castillo was dismissed and Dina Boluarte became president.
10:45•Updated 10:52
The latest violence broke out when the ousted president Pedro Castillo supporters flock to the airport in the city of Juliaca in southern Peru near Lake Titicaca.
At least 17 people died in the clash with the security forces on Monday, officials said. According to the protesters, the police have fired at them.
It was the most violent day during Peru’s month-long protests. The mayor of the Juliaca region has appealed for an end to the violence.
– Peruvians shoot each other. I appeal to all for peace, Mayor Oscar Caceres said.
In addition, almost 60 people have been injured, according to the news agency Reuters. According to the authorities, the dead have gunshot wounds.
The protesters demanded the president Dina Boluarte resignation and new elections immediately. Boluarte took the country’s leadership a month ago after leftist President Pedro Castillo was ousted and arrested.
Boluarte is also a leftist and, among other things, campaigned together with Castillo in 2021, when he was Castillo’s vice-presidential candidate.
However, Castillo has a lot of support, especially among indigenous peoples.
Boluarte has promised elections for 2024, when they were originally supposed to be in 2026.
Juliaca is located in the district of Castillo’s supporters
Castillo is in pretrial detention, which is scheduled to continue until June 2024.
Castillo has faced multiple corruption charges and is accused of attempting a coup to secure his position, but his removal has sparked a severe political crisis.
Last month, several countries in the region led by leftist presidents, Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia and Mexico, also said Castillo was a “victim of undemocratic harassment.”
The city of Juliaca is located on the border with Bolivia and is home to the Aymara indigenous people. An indefinite strike has been declared there as a protest against the government.
All in all, at least 34 people have died in the unrest in different parts of Peru.
Sources: AFP, Reuters