Peru’s violent unrest shows no signs of stopping (Vox - 1/14/2023)

Peru’s violent unrest shows no signs of stopping (full article)

Protests after the arrest of former President Pedro Castillo emphasize Peru’s deep stratification.

Ellen Ioanes


Protests in Peru related to the arrest of former President Pedro Castillo have become increasingly violent, leading to many deaths, and show no real signs of abating. Despite the unprecedented political violence and calls for her resignation, Castillo’s successor and former Vice President, President Dina Boluarte, refused on Sunday to step down, saying, “My commitment is with Peru.”

In the just-over a month since the protests began, 49 people, including children and police officers have been killed, the Associated Press reported Friday. Demonstrations are concentrated in Peru’s southern Andean area, particularly in the region of Puno, Peru’s poorest and which has the highest Indigenous concentration, and in the cities of Ayacucho and Arequipa, among others, though they have also occurred in the capital Lima as recently as this week. These are the areas where calls for Boluarte’s resignation are the most resonant, among rural populations who saw in Castillo one of their own — a “son of the soil” — penetrate the elite world of politics in Lima.

However, Castillo came into office inexperienced, unprepared, and unwilling to compromise or make alliances. For that reason, his campaign promises of greater prosperity, improved education and healthcare for the rural poor have largely gone unrealized. Just prior to a third attempt by Peru’s congress to impeach him, Castillo announced an autogolpe, a self-coup, dissolving the government and instituting governance by decree. However, his ignominious tenure ended in his arrest; he’s now in prison on multiple charges including corruption.

Boluarte and Peru’s security forces, meanwhile, have been accused of using excessive force resulting in the deaths and injuries of dozens of protesters. (more)

Tags: #Peru #DinaBoluarte #PedroCastillo #Protests #HumanRights

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