Conflicts & War

Peaceful protest in Lima, tear gas used in southern Peru

Lima, Feb 9 (EFE).- A group of anti-government protesters tried to take over the airport in the southern Peruvian city of Juliaca on Thursday, but a large march in the capital Lima ended without incident for the first time since they began.

The General Confederation of Workers of Peru (CGTP), the main union in the country, had called for a “national strike” with a demonstration in the historic center of Lima, which brought together thousands of Peruvians to demand the resignation of the president, Dina Boluarte, and the bringing forward of elections to this year.

The march began around 3 pm (20:00 GMT) in Plaza Dos de Mayo and toured the main downtown streets, free of clashes with law enforcement.

The demonstrators, who chanted slogans against Boluarte and the police, marched peacefully and officers refrained from using force, therefore avoiding the usual clashes that on previous occasions left dozens injured and detained, and even one dead.

While the march in Lima passed without incident for the first time, some 1,300 kilometers to the south, a group of protesters tried to take over the Inca Manco Cápac airport in the city of Juliaca, where, just a month ago 17 people died in clashes with the police.

Security forces prevented citizens from reaching the airport facilities using tear gas, and Interior Minister Vicente Romero assured that the situation was “controlled,” and reminded people that the region of Puno, where Juliaca is located, is under a state of emergency with the armed forces in charge of internal order.

Since the anti-government protests began in December, protesters have tried to occupy airports in various parts of the country, causing the closure of some, such as that in Juliaca.

Located at an altitude of 3,800 meters, this Andean city, close to the border with Bolivia, has been the epicenter of demonstrations since they resumed after a Christmas truce.

There, in one attempt to take over the airport, the protests experienced their bloodiest day on Jan. 9, when in a matter of hours, clashes with the police left 17 protesters dead.

To date, the protests and linked events have left 69 people dead and more than 1,200 injured, according to various sources. EFE

csr/tw

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