Partly violent unrest: In Peru, the citizens are demanding their old President Pedro Castillo back. But that doesn't solve the country's problems

Crowds are taking to the streets, blocking highways and even the runway of Peru's largest international airport.

Partly violent unrest: In Peru, the citizens are demanding their old President Pedro Castillo back. But that doesn't solve the country's problems

Crowds are taking to the streets, blocking highways and even the runway of Peru's largest international airport. From the government's point of view, the situation has now escalated so dramatically that a state of emergency has been declared. What exactly is going on in Peru? Answers to the most important questions:

The background to the sometimes violent unrest in Peru is the massive social injustice in the country and the political power struggles. Every head of state since 1990 has either been suspected of corruption or convicted as a result. Peru has been the scene of political unrest for years, with citizens demanding an end to corruption. The ousting of ex-President Pedro Castillo was the last straw. He was seen by many as a beacon of hope for the poor rural population, since he had promised at the beginning of his term of office that he would take action against the social divisions in Peru. However, he never implemented the promised reforms.

Hours before Congress could hold the third impeachment trial against Castillo, it dissolved the panel. Castillo wanted to forestall a vote of no confidence in Parliament. He was subsequently removed from office for "moral incompetence". He is accused of "rebellion and conspiracy" and a coup d'etat.

Castillo is now governed by his former deputy Dina Boluarte, who was the first woman to be sworn in at the head of Peru. Castillo calls her a robber of his office, and on social media he also accused Congress of acting against his government from the start and stated that he would not resign from office.

Thousands of people across the country are demanding the resignation of Castillo's successor, Dina Boluarte, the closure of parliament, early elections and the release of the ex-president, who is in custody. There were protests both in the capital Lima, where demonstrators attacked public prosecutor's offices and radio and television stations. At Arequipa airport, protesters stormed the runway, destroyed security infrastructure and set fire to a sentry box. The airport had to be closed. The demonstrators blocked highways in several parts of the country, and for safety reasons the Peruvian state railway "PeruRail" closed the train route between Cusco and Machu Picchu.

According to media reports, four people were injured in the storm at the airport. The ombudswoman for human rights, Eliana Revollar, spoke on Monday of seven deaths within two days, including two minors. All of the victims died from gunshots. There were 32 civilians injured and 24 injured police officers, Revollar said. According to current government information, eight people have died in different parts of Peru. Another 19 people were hospitalized in the capital Lima and the regions of Apurímac, Huancavelica, Arequipa and La Libertad, according to the Peruvian Ministry of Health.

In the face of the unrest, the new government has declared a state of emergency across the country. According to a statement in the official journal "El Peruano", the regulation will initially apply for 30 days. This means freedom of movement and assembly is suspended. The police will maintain internal order with the support of the armed forces, said Foreign Minister Luis Alberto Otárola.

To reassure citizens, President Dina Boluarte hinted to the press that the presidential and parliamentary elections would be brought forward to December 2023. The next elections were originally supposed to take place in 2026, Boluarte had recently announced that they would be brought forward to April 2024.

He was "humiliated" and "kidnapped," Castillo wrote on Twitter on Monday.

The ex-president is currently serving seven days in custody. A judge dismissed his appeal as “unfounded” after a virtual hearing. The Peruvian public prosecutor's office has meanwhile filed an application for an 18-month detention. At the hearing, Castillo reiterated that he would "never" give up." He called his arrest unjust and arbitrary. He called on the military and police to "lay down their arms and stop killing this people who thirst for justice."

Although the poorer population has so far hardly benefited from Castillo's promises, the politician has many supporters, especially in the Andes region. Many Peruvians believe that Boluarte, Castillo's successor, came to power illegitimately. A protester told AFP that Boluarte was not elected and therefore does not represent the people. Political scientist Alberto Vergara, however, expressed doubts to the largest Spanish newspaper "El País" as to whether Castillo's dismissal would change anything about the political instability.

In addition to his bourgeois supporters in Peru, the ousted Castillo also has support from Mexico, Argentina, Colombia and Bolivia. In a joint statement, the left-wing governments of these countries described Castillo as a victim of a "hostile and anti-democratic" movement.

Sources: "Tagesschau", Twitter, "El País", "Deutsche Welle", with material from AFP and DPA

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