Anti-government protesters in Peru take to the streets again

By Sinan Dogan

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Thousands of Peruvian protesters once again took to the streets on Saturday, demanding the resignation of new head of state Dina Boluarte.

Boluarte took office last month after the Dec. 7 removal and detention of former ousted President Pedro Castillo.

Peru’s opposition-held legislature voted to remove Castillo from office after he signaled plans to “temporarily” dismiss Congress and rule by decree. He is now serving 18 months in pre-trial detention.

After a two-week pause, the protesters who tied up the traffic in various cities, also called for the release of Castillo, the closure of Congress and early elections.

However, Peru’s first woman president, Boluarte, expressed her willingness for dialogue with the protesters, urging them to remove road blockades.

She said the government is ready to discuss the reasons behind the demonstrations, calling for an end to the anti-government campaign.

Interior Minister Victor Rojas also urged the protesters to end the demonstrations.

Meanwhile, earlier this week, Boluarte announced she was in talks with the National Superintendence of Migrations to forbid former Bolivian President Evo Morales’s entry into Peru on the grounds of his interference in the South American country's domestic affairs.

Morales criticized the new president and the government in a Twitter post, urging them put an end to "illegal" detentions.

The death toll in nationwide protests in Peru is over two dozen, with over 600 others injured.