Early elections possible in Peru due to protests
2022.12.13 14:28
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Early elections possible in Peru due to protests
Budrigannews.com – On Tuesday, the new president of Peru said he would work with Congress to see if the next election could be held sooner than originally planned, as the raucous street protests that have killed at least seven people so far didn’t seem to be going away.
After then-leader Pedro Castillo illegally attempted to dissolve Congress just hours before being swiftly removed from office by lawmakers, Dina Boluarte, the former vice president, was sworn in as president on Wednesday.
The move has sparked irate and occasionally violent demonstrations by Castillo’s supporters calling for a new presidential election. In an effort to quell the unrest, the police have used tear gas and gunfire to disperse the demonstrations.
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Boluarte pleaded for calm, saying that he would try to find a way to hold the 2026 election in April 2024.
She stated, “I’m arranging a meeting with the constitution committee (of the Congress) so that together we can shorten the timeframe,” noting that she was unable to alter the election’s timing without the support of the Congress.
Charges of rebellion and conspiracy are the subject of an investigation into Castillo, who was detained shortly after his removal. During a court appearance from a Lima penitentiary on Tuesday, he lashed out at his detention while also urging soldiers and police to lay down their arms.
“I’ve been unjustly and arbitrarily detained,” Castillo said in remarks that the court broadcast online. He reiterated his innocence of the charges against him.
Castillo reiterated his call for the armed forces to put an end to the bloodshed in posts he made shortly thereafter on Twitter, describing the incident as a “massacre of my people.”
In the midst of protests that have primarily targeted rural areas of the nation, gunfire killed four adolescents, according to statements from public defense and police officials.
While demanding Boluarte’s resignation, a new constitution, and the dissolution of Congress, some protesters have set fire to public buildings, attacked police stations, and blocked highways.
Due to the unrest, three airports—in Apurimac, Arequipa, and Cusco—remained closed on Tuesday.
Tuesday saw the closure of public schools in Lima, and at least one important court in the capital announced that it would also be closing for the day after rocks were thrown at it on Monday.
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In 13 of the country’s 24 regions, highway blockades were reported by police Tuesday morning.
Jaime Quito, a member of the Marxist Peru Libre party that Castillo used to narrowly win an election last year, accused Boluarte and the Congress, which is dominated by conservatives, of orchestrating a coup in a tweet.
He wrote, “They’ve declared war on the people.”
