Reuters: Peru’s President Dina Boluarte called for a “political truce” on Tuesday as hundreds of protesters again took to the streets of the capital, Lima, and clashes erupted between some people in the crowds and the police, witnesses said.
Television footage showed some people and police officers were injured although not seriously. And after several hours of unrest in the city center, calm was eventually restored.
The protests began in December when the then president, Pedro Castillo, was ousted. More than 50 people have been killed as a result of the unrest.Economy Minister Alex Contreras said that while weeks of protests have affected some sectors, particularly tourism, the economy could grow “close to” 4% this year, boosted by a $1.55 billion recovery plan, while the sol remains the most stable currency in the region.
Nonetheless, protests have caused 2 billion soles ($516.65 million) in damages to production and 3 billion soles in damage to infrastructure, President Dina Boluarte said on Tuesday in a separate briefing.
Boluarte blamed former president Castillo, who is serving an 18-month term of pretrial detention while he is investigated for “rebellion”, for promoting political polarization during his nearly 17 months in power.