In early December the former president of Peru, Pedro Castillo, attempted an illegal self-coup but failed when his ministers and the military stopped backing him. While he was president, he tried to take power for himself, and this is why people have called it a ‘self-coup.’ This failed as he was almost immediately arrested and forced out of his position as president. His vice president, Dina Boluarte, has since sworn into office and has taken Castillo’s place as president of the country, and soon protests broke out around the country in response to this.
This is not the first time a self-coup has been attempted. An article in the Economist says that, “In 1992 another president, Alberto Fujimori, carried out a similar “self-coup” against Peru’s democratic institutions, sending the army to do the job.” Fujimori, who was president from 1990 to 2000, was jailed over crimes against humanity committed during his presidency. It looked like Castillo was following suit as he tried to dissolve the congress, get rid of his opposition, and set up an emergency government. Congress impeached him for breaking the constitution, and since then, two months of chaos have ensued. People have turned to the streets to protest, many roads and tourism attractions have shut down, and people are calling for a change in the constitution.
The situation is very complex, but the root issues remain embedded not in the removal of the specific president, but in the issues that have been facing the country for a long time. Most of the country’s wealth and elite, as well as the main source of media outlets, are based in the huge urban capital, Lima. But the other part of the population are people who are living in rural and typically poorer regions of the country and who feel the government has not done enough to help their situation, as many lack sufficient access to necessary resources.
Pedro Castillo was popular among this part of the country’s population as he was the country’s first president to come from a poorer, working class background. He gained popularity through this and through his promises for social reforms. Although he did not rule the country well during his presidency, people saw in him a form of representation and hope for change.
And so, the protestors are not only protesting the forced removal of the president, but their calls for change have become bigger than this. People have been angry for a long time, and the jailing of Castillo was a trigger for these emotions to lead to demonstrations. In an article from CNN, the author says that “Protesters want new elections, the resignation of Boluarte, a change to the constitution and the release of Castillo, who is currently in pre-trial detention. At the core of the crisis are demands for better living conditions that have gone unfulfilled in the two decades since democratic rule was restored in the country” (“President calls for dialogue after more than 30 injured in nationwide protests”).
Also among these demands are protests against police violence, as over the past few months, violence has erupted between protestors and the police forces sent to stop them. Dozens of people have been killed and over six hundred hospitalized due to injuries, and deaths and injuries are mounting as protests continue. During the past few months, there have been peaceful protesters marching in the streets as well as angry ones who have resorted to vandalism to make themselves heard. The problem is, the police forces treat them all the same.
Most of the protests have occurred in southern regions, and in response, Boluarte has declared a state of emergency in the regions most affected by violence. She has also been the one who called the police forces to retaliate on protestors, and since then, some independent lawyers and human rights groups have taken legal action against her because of the violence the police have used.
Peruvians are losing trust in the unstable government as Boluarte is now the 7th president in 6 years. The future is uncertain for the country. Protests might stop as roadblocks are creating a stoppage of resources from being available to protestors, or the protests might continue. As an article in The Guardian explains, “most of all, Peruvians are united in their rejection of the hugely unpopular congress, which is largely viewed as a viper’s nest of corrupt lobbies and vested interests.” In this case, the people might persist until satisfactory change is made.
Unfortunately though, while these protests continue, the economy of Peru will be increasingly impacted. Protesters have blocked roads and railways, halting transportations and routes to the airport. Due to the unrest in the country, Machu Picchu has been shut down “indefinitely.” As a major source of the country’s tourist income (roughly half a million people visit the ancient Incan ruins yearly), this gives a big blow to the already struggling economy.
Please keep Peru in your thoughts and prayers in the upcoming months as protests and unrest continues.
Sources:
Peru’s deadly protests: what is happening and why are people so angry?
Peru: A disconnect between protesters and press | Media | Al Jazeera
Peru: President calls for dialogue after more than 30 injured in nationwide protests | CNN
The Peru protests explained in 2 minutes | CNN
Peru needs an early election and outside support, not interference | The Economist
Peru’s imprisoned ex-president Fujimori hospitalised – again | News | Al Jazeera
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/the-latest-on-perus-escalating-anti-government-protests
Peru needs an early election and outside support, not interference | The Economist
‘Pattern of repression’: US Democrats call to suspend Peru aid | Human Rights News | Al Jazeera
Peru’s gateway airport to Machu Picchu closes as protests grow | Conflict News | Al Jazeera
Peru’s Congress swears in new president after Castillo removed | Government News | Al Jazeera
Peru’s ousted president Pedro Castillo says he is a victim of ‘political revenge’
https://www.economist.com/the-americas/2023/01/30/political-turmoil-is-tearing-peru-apart
Image credit: All images can be found in sources.