International
Fresh clashes in Lima as president seeks ‘truce’
January 25 | By AFP |
Peru’s President Dina Boluarte called Tuesday for a “national truce” to end weeks of nationwide unrest, while a major march in the capital calling for her resignation and fresh elections again resulted in violent clashes with police.
Thousands of Peruvians from Andean regions, many in traditional dress, marched in central Lima chanting “Dina assassin,” blaming her for the deaths of 46 people, mainly demonstrators, since protests broke out last month.
The march turned violent Tuesday evening when protesters, some carrying metal shields, threw stones while police responded with tear gas, according to AFP journalists on the scene.
Multiple people were arrested and several were injured, including two photographers, one with AFP, who were hit by pellets and stones.
Many Peruvians remain angry at the December 7 ouster of then-president Pedro Castillo, who was arrested after attempting to dissolve Congress and rule by decree.
Boluarte, the vice president under Castillo, immediately assumed power.
Protests quickly broke out, largely fueled by anger in poor rural regions in the south where inhabitants — mainly Indigenous — felt that Castillo, who has Indigenous roots himself, represented their interests rather than those of the Lima elite.
Demonstrators have kept up weeks of protests and roadblocks and are also demanding the dissolution of Congress and the rewriting of the constitution.
Another day of protests was already planned for Wednesday in numerous cities throughout the country.
Earlier in the day, Boluarte called for “a national truce to allow for the establishment of dialogue, to fix the agenda for each region and develop our towns.”
Speaking at a press conference with foreign media, a visibly emotional Boluarte apologized several times for those killed in the protests, but ruled out resigning.
“I will go once we have called a general election… I have no intention of remaining in power.”
Under Peru’s current constitution, the president cannot run for immediate reelection.
No ‘truce’
Boluarte said she was sure Congress would agree in February to advance elections, currently scheduled for April 2024.
Asked about her possible resignation, Boluarte scoffed at the idea that it would “solve the crisis and the violence.”
On Tuesday evening, authorities announced that the Cusco airport, a gateway to the country’s famed Machu Pichu tourist site, was once again closed due to protests in the mountainous region.
Back in Lima, 35-year-old protester Carlos Avedano said Boluarte’s message was “pitiful.”
“The Peruvian people, all of us, we are not going to have a truce,” he said.
“The only thing that the people want is that she resigns and that there are new elections.”
Police fired tear gas to repel demonstrators heading towards Congress, AFP journalists saw.
At least one person was bleeding from their head and an injured woman was heard screaming near an ambulance.
One protester carried a big doll with a bloody knife in its hand and a picture of Boluarte attached.
Boluarte is due to have a video meeting with the Organization of American States (OAS) on Wednesday to discuss the situation in Peru.
Her government has come under fire from rights groups over alleged repression of protests and the disproportionate use of force by security forces.
Castillo ‘no victim’
Boluarte has called a state of emergency in Peru, allowing the army to assist police in maintaining order.
“I will appear before the OAS to tell the truth. The Peruvian government and especially Dina Boluarte have nothing to hide,” she said.
Boluarte claims some of the protesters were killed by ammunition that is not used by the police.
The president said the deaths “hurt me, as a woman, a mother and a daughter.”
She also hit out at her predecessor Castillo, saying he sparked unrest by trying to broaden his powers in a bid to avoid an impeachment vote and stave off corruption investigations.
“It suited him to stage a coup d’etat so he could play the victim and mobilize all this paramilitary apparatus so as not to answer before the public prosecutor for the acts of corruption that he is accused of,” said Boluarte.
“There is no victim here, Mr Castillo. There is a bleeding country because of your irresponsibility.”
Boluarte is from the same left-wing party as Castillo and was his running mate during his successful 2021 election campaign. She served as his vice president before replacing him.
International
U.S. strike in Caribbean kills three suspected drug traffickers
A U.S. strike on a suspected drug-smuggling vessel in the Caribbean killed three people on Saturday, according to Pentagon Chief Pete Hegseth, marking the latest in a series of attacks in international waters.
The United States has deployed ships to the Caribbean and sent fighter jets to Puerto Rico as part of a large military force that Washington says is aimed at curbing drug trafficking.
“This vessel, like all the others, was known to our intelligence for being involved in illicit narcotics smuggling,” Hegseth stated on X. “Three narcoterrorists were aboard the vessel during the attack, which took place in international waters,” he added.
Experts argue that the attacks, which began in early September, amount to extrajudicial executions, even if the targets are known traffickers.
Washington has yet to publicly provide evidence that the targeted individuals were actively smuggling drugs or posed a threat to the United States.
Hegseth said the U.S. would continue “hunting… and killing” suspected traffickers. He also shared video footage of the strike, showing the vessel being hit and engulfed in flames. As in previous videos, sections of the ship were blurred, making it impossible to verify the number of people on board.
The United Nations called on Friday for Washington to halt its attacks.
International
At least 23 killed in Sonora supermarket blast, including minors
At least 23 people were killed and 11 others injured in an explosion at a supermarket in Hermosillo, in the northern Mexican state of Sonora, local authorities reported on Saturday.
“So far, there are 23 confirmed deaths and 11 injured, including minors,” said Sonora Governor Alfonso Durazo in a video message. He added that the injured are receiving treatment in various hospitals across the city.
“I have ordered a thorough and transparent investigation to determine the causes of the incident and assign responsibility where appropriate,” Durazo said.
The explosion occurred at a Waldo’s store in downtown Hermosillo. Local authorities confirmed that the incident was not an attack nor related to any violent act against civilians.
Meanwhile, Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum expressed her condolences on X, offering sympathy to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives.
International
Floods in Central Vietnam leave 28 dead, thousands displaced
The death toll from heavy rains and flooding in central Vietnam has risen to 28, with six people reported missing and 43 injured, local newspaper VnExpress reported Friday night.
More than 22,100 homes remain flooded, primarily in the cities of Hue and Da Nang. Floods and landslides have destroyed or swept away 91 houses and damaged another 181, the report added.
Around 245,000 households are still without electricity, particularly in Da Nang, where over 225,000 homes are affected.
Additionally, 80 stretches of national highways are blocked or disrupted due to landslides. Authorities expect the flooding to continue for another day or two in the region.
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