In Peru, thousands of protesters from “all communities” demonstrate in Lima

Thousands of protesters took part on Saturday February 4 in the center of Lima in, according to the organizers, ” the biggest “ demonstration gathering “all communities” since the start of the mobilization in December, which has already killed 48 people, against President Dina Boluarte.

Peasant unions, civil organizations and student movements from the Andean regions of Cusco and Puno, in the south of the country, as well as inhabitants of the capital Lima converged on the Plaza Dos de Mayo to demand, once again, the resignation of Dina Boluarte and the dissolution of Parliament.

After dark, the police used tear gas to disperse the demonstrators who advanced towards the Parliament and the Palace of the Government. The protesters, equipped with homemade helmets and shields, confronted the police by shooting fireworks in particular.

“All the communities are outside”

“Today, all the communities are outside”assured a representative of the students, while the discontent of the Andean countryside was heard, overwhelmed by poverty despite the richness of its land in natural resources.

“We will not give up on this fight, those who must give up are the usurper (Dina Boluarte) and Parliament, who are doing everything so as not to have to improve our situation. They are just stealing from us and giving away our wealth to non-Peruvian companies”told AFP Romina Cuno, a 37-year-old peasant from Puno.

Demonstrators from other remote areas of Peru also joined the demonstration, as well as residents of poor neighborhoods in the north of Lima who arrived running and chanting ” if possible “ (yes we can), while waving Peruvian flags and the wiphala, the Andean flag, reported AFP journalists.

At the same time, another demonstration took place in the streets of downtown Lima, with about fifty people who identified themselves as the “Patriotic Legion”claiming to defend the Peruvian police “for his actions against subversive terrorists”.

This demonstration was held the day after the decision of the Peruvian Parliament to block until August any debate aimed at advancing the presidential and legislative elections to October 2023. The proposal to advance the elections, presented by President Boluarte, was rejected for the fourth time by the legislature.

The unrest erupted after the dismissal and arrest on December 7 of the previous socialist leader Pedro Castillo, accused of having attempted a coup d’etat by wanting to dissolve the Parliament which was preparing to oust him from power.