By Juan Contreras Jara on January 17, 2023
photo: La Razon
The constant violation of Human Rights does not stop in Peru. In addition to the 50 demonstrators killed so far by the repression of the de facto government of Dina Boluarte, today there are multiple attempts by the police to obstruct the free right of assembly and social protest of those who are heading to Lima to repudiate the state violence, deployed since December 7, and to demand the immediate departure of the president.
In spite of the brutal repression by the illegitimate President, Dina Boluarte and company, since last weekend, thousands of demonstrators, coming from the south, center and north of Peru, are mobilizing in caravans towards Lima, demanding the immediate departure, to bring forward the elections, to initiate a constituent assembly, among other popular demands.
The response of the de facto government of Boluarte, before the popular mobilization of different social organizations and Aymara and Quechua communities, is now to block the passage of the caravans of demonstrators, as ratified by the Peruvian Ombudsman’s Office, from where they warned the authorities that any impediment to free transit is outside the legal framework.
In spite of this, there have been multiple arrests and obstruction of the transit of demonstrators on their way to Lima. For example, at kilometer 32 of the Libertadores – Huari highway, a large police contingent obstructed the passage of a caravan of citizens from Apurímac, Andahuaylas, Puno, Cusco, Ayacucho and Arequipa.
Complaints also point to harassment by the repressive forces against social organizations, such as the Telephone Workers Union, where the National Assembly of the Peoples was to be held, according to the president of the Labor Commission of the Peruvian Congress, Sigrid Bazán.
It should be recalled that the thirty or so blockades on Peruvian roads by demonstrators are currently reaching 100, a situation which is evidence of the growing repudiation against Dina Boluarte and her de facto government. Criticism of the massacre has also echoed in the Peruvian art world, for example, the prominent singer and composer Susana Baca, blamed the current administration for crimes against humanity committed since December 7, 2022 to date.
Since December 7, after the overthrow of President Castillo, the demonstrators have been demanding the dissolution of the Congress, due to its total delegitimization, to hold new elections as soon as possible, to start a constituent process and of course, the immediate departure of Dina Boluarte, whom they hold directly responsible for the massacre that has left 50 people killed by state repression in little more than a month.
Source: Resumen Latinoamericano – Buenos Aires