Hatred and anger of protesters in Peru
2022.12.27 07:19
Hatred and anger of protesters in Peru
Budrigannews.com – On December 15, 51-year-old Edgar Prado, a mechanic and driver from the city of Ayacucho in southern Peru, spent the majority of the day in his garage modifying his white Toyota Hilux pickup, even as protests began to gather at the nearby airport.
According to security camera footage reviewed by Reuters and his autopsy, he would receive a fatal gunshot wound to the chest at 5.56 p.m. that day. By 6 a.m. the following morning, he would be dead. He was one of ten people who were killed in the city during the most bloody violence that has ravaged Peru in recent weeks.
Even in tumultuous Peru, the protests—the worst in years—have resulted in the deaths of 22 people, the youngest of whom was just 15. Despite a lull in violence during the holiday season in the heavily Catholic nation, the deaths may rekindle rage.
The conflicts with Pedro Castillo’s demise on December 7, when he tried to illegally dissolve Congress to avoid losing an impeachment vote. Shortly thereafter, he was elected to office and arrested for alleged “rebellion.” He refutes the allegations.
His arrest sparked outrage against the country’s political elite and Congress, who are widely regarded as corrupt and opportunistic. This was especially true in Peru’s impoverished southern mining regions, where rising food and energy costs have disproportionately affected the populace.
The government declared a nationwide state of emergency on December 14, restricting some civic rights and allowing the armed forces to support the police in maintaining public order, as new President Dina Boluarte attempted to quell the protests that saw buildings set on fire, highways blocked, and airports invaded.
A day later, on December 15, protesters in Ayacucho stormed the runway of the regional airport, a block from Prado’s garage on Calle Los Angeles, which ran parallel to the airstrip and was where he lived and worked. The airport had no choice but to cancel flights.
The military was sent in to wrest back control.
Protesters invaded the runway around 2 p.m., throwing rocks and burning tires while troops gathered, according to a security camera near the airport. Overhead, military helicopters circled. According to the public ombudsman, protesters below were hit with gas grenades.
By 5 p.m., the violence had spread beyond the airport’s boundaries, and street shooting had begun. Ten people would either die or be fatally wounded as a result of the clashes by the end of the night. On December 21, the most recent died.
A group of protesters and others are seen standing in the street on security camera footage from a store on Calle Los Angeles, directly in front of Prado’s house, at 5.55 p.m.
Something that isn’t on camera shocks the crowd, so they start running. A person falls and lies still on the sidewalk on the other side of the road. Edgar is seen walking in the opposite direction of the crowd and seemingly out of the entrance to his home as a group of people come to check on him. He gets down on his knees and stays with the person while others run away.
A moment later the recording shows Edgar is shot and falls. According to his autopsy, he died the following morning, on December 16, from open chest trauma caused by a gunshot to the chest, hemorrhagic hypovolemic shock, and pulmonary and hepatic lacerations.
Edith, his sister, stated to Reuters, “The military is supposedly trained to fight terrorism, not take the lives of our residents,” adding that he had not participated in the protests. The military basically killed him.”
She claimed that Edgar left the house he shares with her after gunfire struck their gate and he saw protesters injured, which appears to match Reuters footage. She showed Reuters the door frame’s marks and bullet casings.
“Justice for my brother is my only desire.”
The military claims that a serious attack occurred, prompting them to use force.
A military unit headed from the town center to the Ayacucho airport on December 15 was attacked by a crowd with “blunt objects, explosives, and handmade firearms,” according to a statement the following day.
The army claimed that they acted within “established legal procedure, strictly applying current norms regarding the use of force,” and that this put the troop’s “physical integrity at risk.”
According to Peru’s military regulations, soldiers can use firearms “in self defense or defense of other people, in the case of imminent risk of death or severe injury, or to avoid particularly dangerous crimes that pose a threat to life” during a state of emergency.
Additionally, it states that the use of force should be a “last resort.”
Reuters made numerous phone and in-person attempts to interview Peruvian military and police leaders. A journalist went to the army installation in Ayacucho to address the nearby broad responsible for tasks, yet was denied admittance.
The United Nations has requested that the deaths of children during the protests be investigated. Both security forces and protesters have been called out for violence by the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, which has called for dialogue.
The passings have turned into a lightning bar for outrage in poor Andean and Amazonian regions, when many feel ignored regardless of nearby oil and copper riches. A lot of people want major political and constitutional changes.
Rocio Leandro Melgar, a protest leader in Ayacucho, said, “They aimed bullets of war at our brothers.” He blamed the government for allowing the violence to occur.
“Things can’t stay this way,” we’ll keep going.
Other film from a surveillance camera at a parking structure close to the air terminal imparted to Reuters shows a man remaining close to a structure looking into the street. He flees and hides behind a tree after something strikes his arm.
A second man is seen running through the opposite tree-lined plaza a few seconds later. The person suddenly collapses to the ground as they run across the street toward the parking garage camera. The person died, according to the parking garage owner.
Different occupants in a similar area encompassing the air terminal said irregular gunfire proceeded with into the evening.
According to Edith Aguilar, her 20-year-old son Jose Luis was killed on his way home from work on the day of the protests. He had been working at a nearby soft drink factory until 6.30 p.m., when he was killed. According to Reuters, he died from severe head trauma caused by a gunshot.
Aguilar, who maintains a residence in the vicinity of the airport, stated, “There was gunfire everywhere.” Even going outside was impossible.”
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According to Aguilar, her sister-in-law contacted her to inquire whether her son had returned home. She had earlier observed him walking down the street and had heard that someone had been murdered who fit his description.
Aguilar stated, “My son was coming back from work.” Those who assert that we are terrorists are lying.”
According to his aunt, who spoke with Reuters, and data from Peru’s Ombudsman, the 19-year-old Jhonathan Alarcon died from internal bleeding on December 21—a week after he was shot in the hip during the Ayacucho protests.
On December 22, his family laid his coffin on the ground in protest while a band played in the plaza where he was shot. Under a large red banner honoring the victims of what it called a “massacre,” one mourner shouted protest slogans from a megaphone.
Luzmila Alarcon, Jhonathan’s aunt who also attended the protest, told Reuters at his memorial service, “They didn’t need to shoot like that.” It appeared to be a fight between soldiers, but it was actually between civilians and the military.”
She said the passings would prod more indignation as individuals hoped to track down somebody to consider responsible.
She stated, “It can’t be possible that no authority or government takes responsibility for this.” They were not accidental or stray bullets. The military fired directly at them; this is not how to calm the population.”
