Some protesters threw rocks at the police, who responded with volleys of tear gas. The protests have illuminated the chasm between the metropolitan elite and the predominantly indigenous south.
Thousands of protestors came to the capital of Peru and battled with police as they sought the resignation of President Dina Boluarte.
The South American nation has experienced its worst political violence in more than two decades, with 55 people dead in turmoil since the removal of the country’s first president from a rural Andean background last month.
The protests have emphasized the chasm between the urban elite, which is mostly concentrated in the capital city of Lima. And the predominantly indigenous south.
Others claimed that the throng was twice as huge as the police’s estimate of 3,500 individuals.
Peruvian protestors march in Lima
Some threw rocks at the police, who responded with volleys of tear gas. And a big fire broke out near the historic Plaza San Martin. A firefighting commander informed local radio that the structure was unoccupied when the big conflagration broke out for unclear reasons.
At least 13 civilians and four police officers were hurt in Lima on Thursday, according to Peru’s ombudsman. While 22 police officers and 16 citizens were injured across the country, according to Interior Minister Vicente Romero Fernandez.
Prime Minister Alberto Otarola, alongside President Boluarte and other government officials, stated, “This has not been a protest; it has been a sabotage of the rule of law.”
Ms. Boularte criticized the demonstrators for lacking a “necessary social objective” and accused them of “desiring to violate the rule of law.”
Since he was impeached following an unsuccessful attempt to dissolve Congress. Former president Pedro Castillo has been detained and will likely be tried for rebellion.
The government of Ms. Boluarte prolonged the state of emergency in Lima and the southern regions of Puno and Cusco, which restricts some civil rights, last week.
She has prayed for “pardon” for the demonstrators’ deaths but has rejected calls for her resignation.
Human rights organizations have accused the police and army of deploying lethal firearms at protesters. Although the police assert that the protesters have employed weapons and homemade bombs.
