One of those injured in Thursday’s clashes in Ayacucho died on Saturday, bringing the death toll in that region to 9 and the total in Peru to 23 since protests against the government of Dina Boluarte began.
“It is reported that, despite all the efforts of the health personnel and doctors of the Ayacucho Regional Hospital, one of the injured died early today,” the Ayacucho Regional Health Directorate (Direa) reported in a statement.
That entity added that 61 injuries were also registered in its jurisdiction after the violent clashes that occurred between protesters, who tried to take over the Ayacucho airport, and members of the security forces that guarded it.
Ayacucho has been, together with the neighboring region of Apurímac, the epicenter of the protests unleashed after the failed coup attempt by Pedro Castillo and his subsequent dismissal by Congress, on December 7, after which he was sworn in as governor to Until now Vice President Boluarte.
On Friday, at least three protesters were killed in clashes with police in the Pichanaki district of central Junín.
Added to those who died in Ayacucho and Junín are the other six registered in Apurímac, three in La Libertad, one in Arequipa and another in Cuzco.
While the deaths in Apurímac occurred last weekend, those in Ayacucho were registered this Thursday, in the protests that intensified to demand the closure of Congress, the resignation of Boluarte, the advancement of the elections and the call for a Constituent Assembly. .
The Government declared this Wednesday a state of national emergency for 30 days to control acts of vandalism and violence in the demonstrations and on Thursday it decreed a mandatory curfew in 15 provinces of eight departments.
The Peruvian president ratified the constitutional legitimacy of her government, while the security forces assured that little by little they would regain control within the country.
“I want to convey my condolences to the families who have lost their relatives in these times when unnecessary violence has been generated for all of Peru,” he said.
Boluarte also demanded that Congress approve the Executive’s proposal to proceed to the general elections and stressed that he will not resign from his position.
“These are not peaceful marches, they are not social demands,” he said, before adding that the Armed Forces “took to the streets” “to be able to care” for citizens and public and private property.
Source: TSF
