Peru declares nationwide state of emergency amid protests

The government of Peru on Wednesday declared a 30-day nationwide state of emergency in the wake of protests that have rocked the country in the tumultuous days since President Pedro Castillo was removed from office on charges of rebellion and conspiracy last week.

"A state of emergency has been declared for the whole country, due to the acts of vandalism and violence, the seizure of highways and roads, which are stabilizing (...) and require a forceful and authoritative response," said Alberto Otarola, Peru's minister of defense.

The state of emergency will entail the suspension of various rights including the right to assemble, the inviolability of the home and freedom of movement, as well as the possibility of nighttime curfews.

The move comes less than a week after former President Castillo sought to dissolve Congress and rule by decree to avoid his third impeachment by the opposition-led body. Instead, lawmakers ordered his arrest.

Peruvian protesters demand immediate elections

Castillo was apprehended on December 7, while seeking to flee to the Mexican Embassy in Lima. Mexico — along with other leftist countries in the region — has voiced support for the Marxist former school teacher. 

After his arrest, Vice-President Dina Boluarte was sworn in as Peru's sixth president in as many years.

Boluarte sought to defuse the growing anger on the streets by announcing that elections would be moved up from 2026 to 2024, this, however, did nothing to mollify angered Peruvians.

Since then, she has said that new elections may take place as early as December 2023.

"Legally it works for April 2024, but by making some adjustments we can bring them forward to December 2023," Boluarte told reporters.

Nevertheless, Castillo's supporters have demanded his release and called for new elections to be staged immediately. Those opposing him are also calling for Congress to be dissolved and new elections held rather than accept Boluarte as president.

On Wednesday, a judge in Lima denied Castilo's release from jail, as prosecutors filed a request that he remain in prison for 18 months of pre-trial detention.

At least seven people have died amid anti-government protests over the past several days. 

What has the new president of Peru said? 

In announcing her plan to move up elections, President Boluarte said, "Peru cannot overflow with blood." 

As protesters blocked streets, pelted police with rocks while attempting to storm Congress, and clashed with authorities, Boluarte said: "The only thing I can tell you brothers and sisters [is] to keep calm. We have already lived through this experience in the 80s and 90s, and I believe we do not want to return to that painful history."

The statement referenced the years in which the Shining Path insurgency carried out bombings and assassinations across the country, sparking decades of violence that led to the death and disappearance of nearly 70,000 people.

"This is a very serious social convulsion," said Peru's rights ombudsperson, Eliana Revollar. "We fear it will lead to an uprising because there are people calling for an insurrection, who want to take up arms."

Appearing via video link before a court in Lima on Tuesday, Castillo railed against what he called his arbitrary and unfair arrest, vowing that he would "never give up and abandon this popular cause that brought me here."

He then appealed to security forces "to lay down their arms and stop killing these people thirsty for justice."

js/msh (AFP, Reuters)