17 killed in fresh anti-govt protests in Peru; PM claims mob was ‘sponsored from abroad'

At least 17 people have fallen victim to the violent anti-government clashes that broke out between protesters and law enforcement officials in Peru, bringing the total death toll to almost 40 since the ousting and subsequent arrest of former president Pedro Castillo in December. According to The Guardian, clashes broke out on Monday near an airport in the Peruvian city of Juliaca. Disturbing images and clips circulating on social media displayed protesters pelting stones and plumes of smoke erupting at the scene. 

Peruvian Prime Minister Alberto Otarola said in a televised address on Monday that the attack was plotted by those “sponsored from abroad, including by dirty money from drug trafficking, are detained and brought to justice," Sputnik reported. "Today, more than 9,000 people gathered near the airport, of whom 2,000 participated in a merciless attack on the police and [airport] buildings," he said in an address shared on the government’s social media platform. "There is information about casualties that we mourn, and those who mulled a coup are directly responsible for this,” he added.

"More than 200 vehicles have been identified that were paid for with illegal money and transported aggressive individuals from various cities,” he said, urging Peru’s prosecutor's office to find and apprehend those planning a coup. Protesters across the country have called for President Dina Boluarte to resign after the former VP replaced Castillo when he attempted to dissolve the Congress.

Boluarte denies granting protesters' demands

Earlier in December, Castillo was apprehended on sedition and abuse of power charges, soon after which the protests began. Addressing a “national agreement” meeting on Monday, Boluarte refused to accept the demands of some protesters by justifying that they were merely finding ways to continue the chaos.

“What you are asking for is a pretext to continue generating chaos,” she said. “We ask the forces of law and order to make a legal, necessary and proportional use of force and we urge the state prosecutor’s office to carry out a prompt investigation to clarify the facts,” Peru’s ombudsman’s office tweeted.