International
Peru declares state of emergency as ousted leader remains in prison
| By AFP | Luis Jaime Cisneros and Patrick Fort |
Peru declared a nationwide state of emergency Wednesday amid violent protests against the ouster of ex-president Pedro Castillo that have left seven people dead.
The announcement came as a judge ordered Castillo to remain in prison, on charges of rebellion and conspiracy for another 48 hours ahead of a release hearing.
Castillo’s arrest last week after he tried to dissolve congress and rule by decree has sparked days of nationwide protests that quickly escalated into violence.
Defense Minister Alberto Otarola announced the new 30-day state of emergency due to “acts of vandalism and violence, road blocks.”
He said the measure involved “the suspension of the freedom of movement and assembly” and could also include a night-time curfew.
The new president, Dina Boluarte, again moved to ease tensions by calling for elections to be brought forward, this time to December 2023.
On Sunday, Boluarte had already said she would seek to advance elections from 2026 to 2024 but that did not appease Castillo supporters demanding his release and elections now.
Last week, a judge ordered Castillo to be held for seven days, and he was meant to be released on Wednesday.
However, prosecutors filed a request late on Tuesday to hold him in pre-trial detention for 18 months.
Judge Juan Checkley on Wednesday postponed a hearing on the new request until Thursday after defense attorneys argued they had not received all documents from the public prosecutor.
He also ordered Castillo to remain in detention for another 48 hours.
Castillo, a leftist former school teacher, was in power for only 17 months in the South American nation that is prone to political instability and is now on its sixth president in six years.
His short period in office was marked by a power struggle with the opposition-dominated Congress, and six investigations into him and his family mainly for corruption.
‘Serious social convulsion’
Castillo was facing his third impeachment bid when, last Wednesday, he announced he was dissolving Congress and would rule by decree.
But lawmakers went ahead and voted to sack him and he was quickly arrested while trying to flee to the Mexican Embassy and seek asylum.
Boluarte, who was Castillo’s vice president, was sworn in as his successor.
Her attempts to calm tensions have failed, including an earlier state of emergency in several flashpoint regions.
Boluarte has now twice proposed advancing elections.
“Legally it works for April 2024 but by making some adjustments we can bring them forward to December 2023,” she told reporters.
Rights ombudsman Eliana Revollar told AFP on Tuesday that things could still get worse.
“This is a very serious social convulsion. We fear that it will lead to an uprising because there are people calling for an insurrection, who are asking to take up arms,” said Revollar.
Five people were killed in clashes between protesters and security forces on Monday following another two on Sunday.
Six of the seven deaths have been in the Apurimac region, where Boluarte was born.
‘I will never give up’
Castillo also appeared in court on Tuesday by video link as he appealed his initial seven-day detention.
He called his arrest unjust and arbitrary and said he would “never give up and abandon this popular cause that brought me here.”
He also called on security forces “to lay down their arms and stop killing these people thirsty for justice.”
Protests by Castillo supporters began almost immediately after his arrest.
Mexico’s leftist President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador, who said his country still recognizes Castillo as president, has joined other regional leftist leaders in pledging support for the ousted leader.
Protesters have set up road blocks in numerous regions.
The worst-hit areas are in the north and south, including the region of Cusco, a tourism lure that is home to the Machu Picchu Inca citadel, and Peru’s second city, Arequipa.
In Lima, dozens of demonstrators threw stones at the police on Tuesday evening as they tried to reach Congress, with the police firing tear gas to disperse them.
Indigenous and agrarian organizations called an indefinite strike to begin on Tuesday, forcing the train service between the city of Cusco and Machu Picchu to be suspended.
International
Iranian leader warns foreign powers have “no place” in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, said Thursday that the Persian Gulf is entering a new era marked by a “bright” future without the presence of the United States in the region.
His remarks came during the commemoration of Persian Gulf Day, amid ongoing regional tensions following recent military confrontations involving Iran, the United States, and Israel.
“Today, two months after the largest military buildup and aggression by the bullies of the world in the region and the humiliating defeat of the United States, a new chapter is being written for the Persian Gulf and the Strait of Hormuz,” Khamenei stated.
The Iranian leader insisted that the future of the region would be free from American influence and focused instead on the internal development and prosperity of Gulf nations.
“By the power and strength of God, the bright future of the Persian Gulf region will be a future without the United States and dedicated to the progress, welfare, and prosperity of its nations,” he said.
Khamenei also questioned the effectiveness of U.S. military bases in the region, arguing that they do not provide security even for Washington’s allies.
“Foreigners who come from thousands of miles away and commit evil and malicious acts have no place there except at the bottom of its waters,” he declared.
In addition, the Iranian leader defended new measures being prepared by Tehran to regulate maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, including fees for vessels passing through the strategic waterway. According to Khamenei, the policies would generate economic benefits and greater stability for the region.
Regional tensions remain high following the conflict that erupted on February 28 between the United States and Israel against Iran, leading to strategic blockades in the Strait of Hormuz, a route through which nearly 20% of the world’s oil supply previously passed. The situation has disrupted maritime trade and contributed to rising global oil prices.
Central America
U.S. and Regional Allies Back Panama Amid Dispute With China
The United States, Bolivia, Costa Rica, Guyana, Paraguay and Trinidad and Tobago issued a joint statement in support of Panama’s sovereignty, arguing that China’s recent actions represent an attempt to politicize maritime trade and undermine the sovereignty of nations in the hemisphere.
“We are closely monitoring China’s selective economic pressure and recent actions affecting vessels flying the Panamanian flag,” the statement released Tuesday said. “Panama is a pillar of our maritime trading system and, as such, must remain free from undue external pressure.”
The statement comes amid growing tensions surrounding the Panama Canal and the operation of key ports linked to global trade.
At the end of January, Panama’s Supreme Court invalidated the legal framework supporting the 1997 concession that granted Panama Ports Company, a subsidiary of CK Hutchison, the right to operate the Balboa and Cristóbal terminals located on the Pacific and Atlantic entrances of the Panama Canal.
The ruling followed mounting pressure from the United States to curb Chinese influence around the strategic waterway, through which roughly 5% of global maritime trade passes.
CK Hutchison, which managed the ports for nearly three decades, rejected the court’s decision and accused Panamanian authorities of illegally confiscating its assets. The company has launched international arbitration proceedings against Panama, seeking more than $2 billion in damages.
Following the court ruling, reports emerged of increased detentions and inspections of Panamanian-flagged vessels in China, actions widely viewed as retaliatory measures.
On Wednesday, China’s Foreign Ministry dismissed the joint statement as “completely unfounded and misleading,” accusing the United States of politicizing port operations and warning that Beijing would take steps to protect its interests in Panama.
International
King Charles III Says U.S.-UK Alliance Is “Irreplaceable and Unbreakable”
King Charles III of the United Kingdom reaffirmed the strength of the British-American relationship on Tuesday during a speech before the United States Congress, describing the alliance between the two nations as “irreplaceable and unbreakable.”
The address, delivered at the Capitol, marked the first speech by a British monarch before Congress since Queen Elizabeth II in 1991 and comes at a time of political tensions between Donald Trump’s administration and the Labour government of Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
“As President Trump himself observed during his state visit to Britain last autumn, the bond of kinship and identity between the United States and the United Kingdom is invaluable and eternal. It is irreplaceable and unbreakable,” the king said.
While reflecting on the upcoming 250th anniversary of U.S. independence, which will be commemorated this year, Charles III stated that the partnership between the two countries “was born out of disagreement, but is no less strong because of it.”
The monarch emphasized the democratic values shared by both nations and noted that major global changes have occurred whenever the two allies found common ground.
“When we have found that way to agree, great changes have taken place not only for the benefit of our peoples, but for all peoples,” he said.
King Charles also quoted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, who recently described the relationship as “an indispensable alliance.”
Concluding his speech, the monarch described the shared history of the United States and the United Kingdom as “a story of reconciliation, renewal, and an extraordinary partnership.”
He added that Washington and London have forged “one of the most consequential alliances in human history.”
“I pray with all my heart that our alliance continues to defend our shared values, together with our partners in Europe, the Commonwealth, and around the world, and that we ignore calls urging us to become increasingly isolationist,” Charles III stated.
The king ended by urging both nations to “recommit to one another in selfless service to our peoples and to all peoples of the world.”
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