Peruvian president calls for national truce and proposes creation of ‘dialogue tables’

the president of Peru, Dina Boluarteasked for a national truce and proposed the creation of ‘tables’ for dialogue this Tuesday, 24th, in the midst of protests that have taken place since December, when Pedro Castillo was removed from office. “I call my dear homeland to a national truce in order to establish dialogue tables, to be able to set the agenda for each region and develop our peoples. I will never tire of calling for dialogue, peace and unity,” said Boluarte at a press conference for the foreign press at the Government Palace in Lima. During the interview, Boluarte reiterated several times his “lament for the dead” in the protests, which are at least 46 directly related to the demonstrations, which resumed on January 4 in southern Peru and maintain blockades on the country’s main roads, but ruled out again that he will resign from office.

“Would my resignation solve the crisis and the violence? Who would assume the Presidency of the Republic?”, questioned the president, in the face of questions from journalists about her permanence in office. “I will leave when we have called the general elections. I have no intention of remaining in power,” said Boluarte emphatically, adding that Congress, “without a shadow of a doubt”, will confirm in February the anticipation of elections, scheduled for April 2024. The social crisis in Peru is a reflection of the huge gap between the capital and the poorer southern Andean provinces that supported Castillo – who has indigenous descent – ​​in the 2021 elections, and the ousting and arrest of the left-wing former president on Dec. the Parliament – ​​controlled by the right – which was about to remove him from power on suspicion of corruption.