Protesters in Peru staged farewell march for those killed during protests
2023.02.10 14:48
Protesters in Peru staged farewell march for those killed during protests
By Tiffany Smith
Budrigannews.com – On Thursday, thousands of protesters walked through Juliaca, a southern city in Peru, to mark the one-month anniversary of clashes that killed 19 people in the city. This was the worst violence in more than two months of anti-government protests.
After marching past concrete road barriers that were still marked with bullet holes and the shuttered airport that was guarded by soldiers and police, family members and protesters gathered under an overpass that would serve as a memorial to the victims.
Since leftist President Pedro Castillo’s demise on December 7, protests have rocked Puno, a town in the Andes. 18 people were killed in clashes on January 9, including one police officer. Days later, another protester passed away.
The protests themselves represent the worst unrest Peru has seen in over 20 years, and the violence was the single day with the most fatalities. It posed a significant challenge to the new government in Lima and posed a threat to mining operations in the world’s most populous nation. 2 producers of copper.
Some protesters in other cities joined the call for a larger national strike on Thursday, as families mourned the deceased. During the ceremony to honor the victims, military aircraft occasionally flew overhead.
Ruth Meza, whose classmate Elmer Solano was killed in the Juliaca clashes, stated, “The Puno region really came out in support, we’re not one, we’re many.”
The protests’ focal point, Peru’s southern Andes, is home to huge copper reserves and the famous Incan city of Machu Picchu. However, the region lags behind much of the rest of the country in terms of education, health, and income.
In many of these communities, Castillo, a former teacher and union leader, still has support. They want him out of jail and want to change the constitution and change Congress.
Priest Luis Zambrano, who gave a family mass on Wednesday, said that although protesters were sometimes violent, he thought the authorities reacted too forcefully.
He stated, “They didn’t come to calm the waters.”
During Zambrano’s mass, a display table containing photographs of protesters who had passed away quickly filled up and had to be rearranged as more family members arrived and crowds started to leave the church.
After the mass, the deceased’s families met with lawyers and the local ombudsman. They stated that they desired to seek justice from a government that had not assisted them in any way.
The ombudsman, Nivardo Enriquez, stated that his office was collaborating with the local prosecutor to provide testimony, evidence, and autopsy reports.
Enriquez stated, “The prosecutor’s office is doing its job.” We also hope that it is being completed at the same speed.”
“The protesters have been apprehended and are the subject of an investigation. For the deaths, then? Aroquipa stated, “There is practically no justice.”
He stated that his daughter, who is studying psychology in Bolivia, had volunteered at an animal shelter and planned to visit Brazil and Argentina.
Aroquipa stated, “She had dreams.” But you don’t see any progress in the investigation into what happened to my daughter.”
