Peru’s Riot Police Fire Tear Gas To Disperse Protesters Demanding Ouster Of President Dina Boluarte

As unrest in Peru's capital continues, riot police fired tear gas to disperse anti-government protesters.

On Monday, several hundred protesters marched in colonial central Lima to demand the ouster of President Dina Boluarte, reported TRT World. Some even shouted, "Dina murderer!" Then cops moved in with tear gas volleys to disperse the crowd. This crisis was triggered by the ouster of indigenous President Pedro Castillo in December 2022.

It stemmed largely from an inequity between Peru's urban elite and poor rural indigenous people in the southern Andean region. They saw Castillo as one of their own and someone who was working to make their lives better. The unrest has left at least 46 people dead in the South American country.

The nation's Interior Minister Vicente Romero sees no relief soon. According to Press TV, Romero said that the social protests will continue, and that they are "working intensively with the defence ministry to resolve them."

A mass rally took place last week in Lima. Another one was planned for Tuesday by protesters who are demanding the resignation of Boluarte. Edmunda Canaguira, who came to Lima from Sicuani in the southeastern Andes of Peru to take part in the protest, said that they "urgently need for Dina to resign." The 60-year-old said that she doesn't listen to the people, and that it's her fault that "we are in the streets this week without food, without being able to sleep."

A new constitution, fresh elections and the dissolution of congress are also demanded by protesters, many from poor Andean regions. Peru is currently experiencing "one of the highest levels of violence in recent times, since the 1980s" when authorities were battling left-wing Shining Path guerrillas, said Romero. He blamed a "faceless" group for financing protests in which he said that more than 500 cops have been injured.

According to Al Jazeera, the Peruvian legislature voted on Dec. 7, 2022 to remove Castillo from office. It was done after the left-wing leader announced that he had plans to dissolve Congress and rule by decree. His removal followed by arrest and detention on allegations of “conspiracy” and “rebellion," have sparked widespread protests in Peru. This led the government to declare a nationwide state of emergency.