The Peruvian president faces a general mobilization of the country against the rising cost of living. And the least we can say is that the emergency measures taken by the Head of State to calm the streets did not have the desired effect. Neither the suspension of a fuel tax nor the increase in the minimum wage appeased the protesters.
On the contrary: after transporters and farmers, it is now the turn of teachers and construction workers to join the protest movement, notes the newspaper Peru 21. Yesterday, a protester was killed and 15 others injured, among them twelve policemen, when security forces tried to lift barricades in the south blocking one of Peru’s main roads, the Pan-American highway . ” There are also more and more blockages on other roads in the country. “, announcement La Republica.
Voting Opposition Motion
The president will travel today to Huancayo, 300 kilometers east of Lima to participate in a Council of Ministers “decentralized“, And this “at one of the most critical times of the Castillo administration“, valued El Comerciobecause “calls for the resignation of the head of stateare becoming more and more numerous. Among these appeals is this motion from an opposition member. The text, which calls for the departure of the president from power, will be put to the vote this Thursday in the Assembly, reports the newspaper Correo.
The editorial writers of several daily newspapers join this call today. El Comercio estimate that “the presidency of Pedro Castillo is untenable» and that it would be «in the interest of the country that the Head of State steps down“. La Republica for his part criticizes the president for not being at the head of a real government with a vision and a strategy for Peru. The emergency measures, decided by Pedro Castillo, are nothing but “desperate attempts to survive“, estimates the editorialist who claims “general elections now!“.
To break this impasse, the president could announce changes in his government. “Several ministers have made their posts available“, believes the newspaper Espresso.
Venezuela: After years of hyperinflation, the country only recorded an inflation rate of 1.4% for the month of March
This was announced on Wednesday by the Central Bank of Venezuela. Ultimas Noticiasclose to the socialist government, welcomes “the lowest rate for 10 years“. The daily also notes that over one year, “inflation stands at 284%“. This represents “less than a tenth of the previous year“. President Nicolas Maduro attributes the drop to the economic policies adopted in 2018, when the drastic control of the economy began to be relaxed.
Colombia: Police intervene in a camp for displaced Embera people in Bogota
In neighboring Colombia, the National Indigenous Organization of Colombia has sounded the alarm. Yesterday, a special police unit in Bogota violently intervened in a camp where members of the Embera people are refugees. We do not know the reason for this intervention of the special forces. But the news site InfoBae reports that riot police fired tear gas at these displaced persons without any prior warning.
The Embera originate from the forests of the department of Choco, from where they had to flee due to violence committed by guerrillas and other armed groups. They set up camp in one of Bogota’s largest public parks. Human rights activists are demanding that the mayor of the capital protect the lives of children, the elderly and pregnant women in this camp for particularly vulnerable displaced people.