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
China calls for dialogue amid rising Iran-Israel conflict
The Chinese government emphasized on Monday the importance of “creating the conditions to return to the proper path of dialogue” between Iran and Israel, which have exchanged attacks in recent days resulting in more than 20 Israeli and over 220 Iranian deaths.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun expressed deep concern at a press conference over the Israeli attacks on Iran and the “sudden escalation” of the military conflict.
Guo called on all parties to “take immediate measures to ease tensions and prevent the region from descending into further turmoil,” stating that “force cannot bring lasting peace.”
“If the conflict between Israel and Iran continues to intensify or even expand, the countries of the Middle East will be the first to suffer the consequences,” he added, while noting that China “will continue to maintain communication with the relevant parties, promoting peace and dialogue.”
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi spoke last Saturday with his Iranian and Israeli counterparts to condemn the Israeli airstrike on Iranian territory, which he described as a “violation of international law” with the potential to trigger “disastrous” consequences.
In both calls, Wang reiterated China’s rejection of the use of force, defended diplomacy as the only solution to the Iranian nuclear dispute, and offered China’s mediation to prevent further destabilization in the Middle East.
International
Suspect arrested in killing of Minnesota legislator and husband, governor Says
Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced on Sunday the arrest of Vance Luther Boelter, 57, the main suspect in the killing of Democratic legislator Melissa Hortman and her husband in a Brooklyn Park suburb on Friday night.
Boelter, who also reportedly shot State Senator John Hoffman and his wife early Saturday morning, was apprehended in Sibley County following an intensive manhunt involving hundreds of law enforcement officers.
In a public statement, Governor Walz condemned Boelter’s “unthinkable actions,” which resulted in the death of a woman who “shaped the core of who we are as a state.”
“We cannot become numb to this. We are a deeply divided nation,” Walz said in a statement posted on his X account.
“We move forward not with hatred or violence, but with humility, grace, and civility,” he added.
Expressing solidarity with the victims’ families, Walz said the entire state of Minnesota is in mourning. He also thanked law enforcement for their bravery and professionalism: “They have saved lives,” he emphasized.
“As we heal, we will not let fear win,” Walz concluded. “We must honor Melissa by moving forward with understanding, service, and above all, humanity.”
Throughout Sunday, police and sheriff units searched a rural area in Minnesota for Vance Luther Boelter, a security company director and preacher who, according to Governor Walz, acted out of politically motivated violence.
International
40,000 tourists stranded in Israel amid airspace shutdown over Iran conflict
Approximately 40,000 tourists are stranded in Israel following the closure of the country’s airspace amid escalating hostilities with Iran, the Israeli Ministry of Tourism reported on Monday.
The ministry has set up a virtual office to provide information via email (virtual@goisrael.gov.il) and phone (+972-53-583-5808), as well as a Facebook page called Israel Virtual Tourist Office.
Israeli Tourism Minister Haim Katz is in contact with hotels and accommodations across the country to offer support to tourists in need, the ministry added.
Many stranded travelers are considering crossing overland into Jordan or Egypt to seek flights from those countries. The Israel Airports Authority reminded the public that land border crossings remain open.
Three German tourists stranded in Jerusalem told EFE today that they have not received any assistance from their country’s embassy in Israel, and their primary option currently is to cross into Jordan to catch a flight from there.
Since early Friday morning, Israel launched operations against Iran, targeting military personnel and infrastructure, including energy and nuclear facilities, as well as numerous residential areas in Tehran.
In response, Iran has fired hundreds of ballistic missiles at Israel, some of which have struck various locations across the country, leaving at least 24 dead so far, according to Israeli authorities.
Iranian health officials report at least 224 deaths, mostly civilians, including at least 17 senior military officials—nine from the Revolutionary Guard—and more than a dozen nuclear scientists.
The Israeli military has warned that many more “targets” remain, while Iran’s Revolutionary Guard declared on Monday that it will continue missile attacks against Israel until its “destruction.”
China calls for dialogue amid rising Iran-Israel conflict
Suspect arrested in killing of Minnesota legislator and husband, governor Says
40,000 tourists stranded in Israel amid airspace shutdown over Iran conflict
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