An historic building was set on fire on Friday in Peru as a result of the violent and deadly protest currently ongoing. Firefighters struggled to extinguish the wildfire, and it’s believed that the structure on Plaza San Martin was deserted when it broke out. After former leader Pedro Castillo was overthrown, weeks of protests in Peru resulted in the deaths of dozens of people. Demonstrators are calling for Ms. Boluarte to leave office, call new elections, and free Mr. Castillo, her left-wing predecessor, from prison.
REASONS FOR THE PROTEST IN PERU
The arrest of the former president, Pedro Castillo, in December when he attempted to suspend Congress after losing an impeachment vote, is what started the unrest. The followers of Mr. Castillo have been requesting new elections and the removal of Dina Boluarte, the current president.
The president, however, rejected the idea of convening a constitutional assembly as demanded by protesters, claiming that it could not take place immediately.
She has charged extremist groups with bringing the nation to a standstill and producing unrest, anarchy, and damage.
The interior minister is among the numerous government officials who have resigned under Ms. Boluarte. After a quiet start to the new year, fighting continued throughout the nation.
A preliminary investigation into Ms. Boluarte’s alleged involvement in acts of genocide related to the deaths of protesters during the turmoil was started by Peru’s public prosecutor around last week.
In the meantime, Puno Governor Richard Hancco questioned: “How many more fatalities would Dina Boluarte’s stay in the presidency cost?” His southern department has become the focal point of clashes between demonstrators and security forces.
For attempting to dissolve Congress, Mr. Castillo, a former elementary school teacher who was removed from office in December, has been put in custody for 18 months. Additionally, he is being looked into for fraud committed while he was president.
Ms. Boluarte, who served as Mr. Castillo’s vice-president, urged all parties to forego violence in favour of negotiation.
