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Peru’s president apologizes for protest deaths but says he won’t resign

Peruvian President Dina Boluarte has apologized for dozens of deaths during protests across the country in recent weeks, speaking to the nation in an evening broadcast on Friday.

Weeks of protests have left at least 42 dead since early December, when former head of state Pedro Castillo was ousted and detained after trying to illegally dissolve Congress.

Boluarte highlighted that weapons and ammunition that do not belong to the Peruvian police and army entered the country through the southern border, requiring an investigation into whether they were used to kill civilians and a police officer during the violent protests of recent days.

Many of the furious — and sometimes violent — demonstrations took place in the main mining regions of the south. However, on Thursday (12) thousands of people marched through the streets of Lima demanding the closure of Congress and the resignation of Boluarte.

She pointed out that she would not resign and that there are no legal conditions to close Congress.

Investigations

Peru’s attorney general has opened 11 investigations to identify those responsible for more than three dozen civilian deaths during some of the country’s most violent protests in years, her office said on Friday.

Patricia Benavides announced that investigations are focusing on clashes between protesters and security forces in the heavily indigenous regions of southern Puno, Cusco, Arequipa, Apurimac and Ucayali, as well as in the capital Lima.

Human rights groups accuse police and soldiers of using excessive force, including live ammunition and firing tear gas from helicopters, while security forces say protesters, mainly in Peru’s southern Andes, used homemade weapons and explosives against them.

Source: CNN Brasil

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