Protesters continue with road blockades during protests in Peru. | Photo: EFE
Lima, January 6 (RHC)-- Peaceful protests in Peru against the government of Dina Boluarte entered their third consecutive day on Friday, with demands for the release of former president Pedro Castillo, the closure of Congress, the advancement of general elections and the convening of a constituent process.
According to the Superintendence of Land Transportation of People, Cargo and Goods (Sutran), in the early hours of Friday there were 46 points with interrupted traffic in eight regions. Mobilizations are stronger in the southern part of the country. The day before, protests were reported in the departments of Apurimac, Arequipa, Ayacucho, Puno, Cuzco and Tacna.
According to local media, protests and roadblocks (such as Vía Interoceánica and Panamericana Sur) took place in Abancay, Andahuaylas and Aymaraes, provinces of Apurimac.
In the town of Chalhuanca, located in Aymaraes, there were clashes between community members and the police when the latter tried to unblock a road. According to local media, 70 percent of the population of Abancay is following the indefinite national strike, there are a large number of stranded vehicles and the business sector has been affected.
Street actions were also reported in Arequipa, where the road linking the city of Arequipa with Juliacá (department of Puno) remains blocked, cut by pickets at the height of the city of Puno.
At dawn this Thursday, the exits of this city were still blocked and the Association of Motorcycle Taxi Drivers announced that it was joining the strike. Local food market workers announced that they would serve the public until 10:00 local time and then join the protests.
Despite a persistent rain, Ayacucho residents held a sit-in in front of the Cathedral and the regional government headquarters, from where they demanded justice for the almost 30 dead left by the repression of the protests last December and rejected the position of the regional governor, Wilfredo Escorima, who supports the current government.
In Arequipa, a mobilization of thousands of people demanded the exit of Dina Boluarte and the closing of Congress.
As a result of the road blockades, reports from the local press show considerable effects on ticket sales and interprovincial travel in the south of the country, as well as on international and domestic tourism, among other sectors.
On Thursday, the President of the Council of Ministers, Alberto Otárola, expressed that the current Cabinet is working for the population to recover confidence in democratic institutions. Popular sectors responded that he should resign, facilitate the political transition and answer for the deaths of 28 Peruvians during the December demonstrations.
