In Peru’s Andes, anger hardens as fast election hopes fade (Reuters - 2/7/2023)

In Peru’s Andes, anger hardens as fast election hopes fade (full article)

Alexander Vargas


Anti-government protestors block a road to cut off access to the country's mineral and tourism-rich region to demand Peru's President Dina Boluarte step down, in Puno, Peru February 6, 2023. (Pilar Olivares)

 JULIACA, PERU, Feb 7 (Reuters) - Protests and roadblocks in Peru's southern Andes have hardened after Congress failed to bring forward elections, jamming up much of the region, which is rich in copper and historic Incan sites like Machu Picchu.

Congress has rejected multiple bills for early elections, a key demand by protesters, including shelving a proposal by President Dina Boluarte on Friday.

Protests have snarled the Andean nation, with clashes between demonstrators and security forces leaving forty-eight dead. It is the worst violence in Peru in two decades and threatens to destabilize one of region's most reliable economies.

Reuters spoke to dozens of protesters across multiple blockades in southern Peru on Monday, some occupied by a handful of protesters while others had dozens, who see no solution besides continued protests after Congress' repeated failure to bring elections forward to 2023.

Congress is unusually fragmented. It has thirteen voting blocs, caused in part by rules that allow a group of five lawmakers to easily create a new one. The two largest parties have just 24 and 15 seats respectively, making it hard to reach majorities needed for legislation. (more)

Tags: #Peru #Protests #Elections

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