Peru Congress asks President Pedro Castillo to resign

By Sinan Dogan

BOGOTA (AA) - The Peruvian Congress asked President Pedro Castillo to step down Saturday after anti-government protests have continued since March 30.

In a vote held in the Congress of the Republic upon the motion of the right parties, Castillo was advised to resign.

The motion was passed 61 - 43 with one abstention.

The non-legally binding motion is considered politically important in terms of being symbolic.

-Ongoing protests

Protesters have asked Castillo to resign because of an increase in fuel and food prices.

Demonstrators, who took to the streets in cities, especially the national capital of Lima and neighboring Callao, clashed with police and closed main roads to traffic.

It was reported earlier that the number of people killed increased to six and the injured jumped to 20.

The Interior Ministry had announced that 25 police officers were injured in the clashes.

Meanwhile, Castillo announced Tuesday that a curfew he decreed hours earlier in Lima and Callao was being lifted to contain protests.

Demonstrations, which started calm and peacefully at first, turned into acts of anti-government violence and spread throughout the country.