The Public Ministry of Peru opened a preliminary investigation on Tuesday against the president of the country, Dina Boluarte, for the alleged crimes of “genocide, qualified homicide and serious injuries” for the deaths that occurred during the protests in recent weeks.
The inquiry also affects the Prime Minister, Alberto Otárola, as well as the Interior and Defense Ministers, Víctor Rojas and Jorge Chávez, respectively.
the news is known one day after 18 people died in a day of protests in the south of the country.
Peru has experienced a wave of demonstrations since Congress decided to remove then-President Pedro Castillo on December 7, after he announced on television that he would dissolve Parliament and establish an emergency government that would govern by decree.
Castle’s decision was rejected by most political forces, including members of their own government. The president was arrested shortly after and is currently in prison under a preventive order for 18 months while facing a trial for the crime of rebellion.
Since then, Peru has been shaken by strong protests – which had a brief truce during the December holidays – led by Castillo’s followers, who demand his release, the closure of Congress, the call for new elections and the resignation of Boluarte. , as well as some changes to the Constitution.
Violence and repression
The street demonstrations have derived in strong clashes with law enforcement that have left until this Tuesday a balance of 39 deaths.
The most violent day – by number of victims – was this Monday, when 18 people lost their lives in the protests in the department of Puno and 68 civilians and 75 police officers were injured.
In response to this situation, the government decreed a three-day curfew in that region of the country.
On Monday night, the Prime Minister, Alberto Otárola, lamented the deaths that occurred in Puno, but stressed that some 2,000 protesters tried to take over the Juliaca airport, for which they attacked the police and the Armed Forces.
“It was an organized, systematic attack, vandalism and violent activities against institutions in Puno,” he said.
This Tuesday, in a speech before Congress, the senior official said that he gThe government does not oppose the protests, but indicated that the State has the obligation to safeguard public order.
Hours later, Otárola managed to overcome a vote of confidence in Congress with 73 votes in favor and 43 against, which reduces the political pressure on Boluarte because if the motion had been rejected, he would have had to assemble a new cabinet.
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