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lima [Peru]Jan. 10 (ANI): At least 12 people were killed in clashes near Juliaca airport in southeastern Peru on Monday, the local ombudsman’s office said, Deutsche Welle reported.
Anti-government protesters demanding the resignation of President Dina Boluarte tried to enter the airport, where they clashed with law enforcement officers.
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The Ombudsman’s Office tweeted: “We demand law and order forces to use force lawfully, necessary and proportionate, and we urge the State Attorney’s Office to promptly investigate and clarify the facts.”
Anti-government protests began in Peru in early December after then-President Pedro Castillo was ousted and arrested shortly after attempting to illegally dissolve Congress, Deutsche Welle reported.
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Protesters in Peru have established new blockades and expanded demonstrations in several regions as calls grew across the country for new elections and the release of detained former President Pedro Castillo.
He spent 18 months in pre-trial detention on insurrection charges, which he denies.
Meanwhile, protests have grown despite the new president’s early election promises. President Dina Boluarte has promised a vote in 2024 amid growing protests calling for the release of former president Pedro Castillo.
Protests resumed last week after a holiday lull. In addition to early elections and the release of Castillo, the protesters also demanded the resignation of the new president, Dina Boluarte, the closure of Congress and the amendment of the constitution, Deutsche Welle reported.
Juliaca, in the Puno region on the border with Bolivia, has been a hotbed of anti-government protests. On January 4, an open-ended strike was announced there.
Protests quickly erupted across the country, with many supporters of the detained former leader demanding that Peru hold elections rather than keep Boluarte in power until Castillo’s term ends in 2026. Some protesters also called for Congress to be shut down.
Calls for new elections come as recent polls show nearly nine in 10 Peruvians disapprove of the country’s legislature amid years of political scandal and turmoil. The country is serving its sixth president since 2016.
The power struggle in the country continues as the Andes region and its thousands of small farms grapple with the worst drought in half a century. (Arnie)
(This is an unedited and auto-generated story from a Syndicated News feed, the content body may not have been modified or edited by LatestLY staff)
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