At least 20 people, including four police officers, were injured on Saturday (10) in clashes between protesters and police in the Peruvian city of Andahuaylas, in the southern Andes.
The city’s ombudsman said on Twitter that it was working with health personnel to verify that the injured received “adequate medical attention at the city hospital”, but did not give details of the injuries.
It also said several people had been detained, but it did not say how many.
Meanwhile, the National Police reported that two officers captured by the protesters have already been released and are being evaluated by medical teams.
The reason for Saturday’s protest is still unclear, but Andahuaylas is one of several cities in the country where residents took to the streets on Friday (9) in support of former president Pedro Castillo, who was ousted earlier this week, according to information provided to the media by the Ministry of the Interior.
Castillo was ousted from power on Wednesday after an unsuccessful attempt to dissolve Peru’s Congress and call new elections. He was arrested for the alleged crime of rebellion and impeached by parliamentarians on the same day.
Peruvian lawmakers described the move as a coup, and a majority of 130 lawmakers voted to impeach Castillo that same day, which ended with Dina Boluarte taking office.
Peru’s new president ruled out early elections on her first day in office.
Castillo is also currently under seven-day pretrial detention ordered by the Supreme Court on Thursday, after considering the risk of flight.
Castillo faced a cascade of inquiries into whether he used his position to benefit himself, his family and closest allies by selling influence to gain favors or preferential treatment, among other claims.
He has repeatedly denied all allegations and reiterated his willingness to cooperate with any investigation. He argues that the allegations are the result of a witch hunt against him and his family by groups that did not accept his election victory.
The Ombudsman reiterated its “call to the population not to resort to violent means during their demonstrations” and asked the National Police that “any action to restore public order must be carried out within the framework of the law on the use of force”.
Source: CNN Brasil
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