Peru’s government said it would declare a state of emergency in the capital, Lima, within hours after violent protests led by Gen Z activists left one person dead and more than 100 injured, reported The Associated Press (AP). New President José Jerí refused to resign on Thursday.
The demonstrations erupted soon after President Jerí took office last week.
Peru’s prosecutor’s office said it was investigating the death of 32-year-old protester and hip-hop singer Eduardo Mauricio Ruíz, who was shot during Wednesday night’s mass demonstration. Local footage showed Ruíz collapsing after a man fleeing from protesters fired a gun.
According to Reuters, national police chief Gen Oscar Arriola confirmed that officer Luis Magallanes was responsible for the shooting after being physically assaulted. Magallanes has been hospitalised and removed from duty. The prosecutor’s office said it had ordered the removal of Ruíz’s body from a Lima hospital and the “collection of audiovisual and ballistic evidence in the area where the incident occurred, in the context of serious human rights violations,” reported AP.
Clashes in Lima
Thousands of protesters filled the streets of Lima and other cities, with major clashes outside Congress. Police fired tear gas while some demonstrators hurled fireworks, rocks and burning objects.
The Ombudsman’s Office said at least 24 protesters and 80 police officers were injured, while the National Association of Journalists reported that six journalists were hit by pellets and four assaulted by police.
President Jerí expressed “regret” over the protester’s death and promised an “objective” investigation. He blamed the violence on “delinquents who infiltrated a peaceful demonstration to sow chaos,” adding as per Reuters , “The full force of the law will be on them.”
After meeting lawmakers, Jerí said he would ask Congress for “authority to legislate on public safety issues,” including prison reform. Interior Minister Vicente Tiburcio told Congress that the government planned a “comprehensive reform” of the national police, noting that 89 police officers and 22 civilians had been injured and 11 people detained.
Why the protests?
The demonstrations began over pension and wage concerns but have expanded to reflect years of frustration over corruption and misrule. “After the pension issue, other frustrations followed — linked to insecurity, the erosion of state capacity in Peru, and corruption,” said Omar Coronel, a sociology professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, in comments to AP.
The 38-year-old president, Peru’s seventh in less than a decade, took office after Congress ousted Dina Boluarte, one of the world’s least popular leaders. Jerí, who has faced past allegations of sexual assault and corruption, has denied wrongdoing.
Protesters accused him of backing laws that weaken anti-crime efforts and demanded his resignation.
With elections due next July, analysts say the unrest is an early test of Jerí’s presidency, reported Reuters.
