UPDATE - Peru declares nationwide state of emergency amid ongoing protests

ADDS DETAILS THROUGHOUT

By Laura Gamba

BOGOTA, Colombia (AA) - Peru declared a 30-day nationwide state of emergency Wednesday in the wake of widespread protests that have left seven people dead after former President Pedro Castillo was removed by Congress last week.

"A state of emergency has been declared for the whole country, due to the acts of vandalism and violence, the seizure of highways and roads," said Defense Minister Alberto Otarola.

The state of emergency entails the suspension of the right to assemble and freedom of transit, among others. The government is evaluating the possibility of declaring a curfew.

Castillo was impeached and arrested last week after attempting to dissolve parliament. His removal has sparked days of protests.

Protesters have blocked roads with rocks, logs, burned tires and interrupted traffic along the southern Pan-American Highway that connects Peru and Chile. At least 47 people have been hospitalized as a result of protests in Lima, Apurimac, Huancavelica and Arequipa, according to the Health Ministry.

The army has been deployed to protect public spaces across the country, said Otarola.

Supporters of Castillo are demanding his release and new elections. Last week, a judge ordered Castillo held for seven days but prosecutors filed a request Tuesday to hold him in detention for 18 months on charges of rebellion and conspiracy.

In a letter posted on Twitter, Castillo called for supporters to gather at the detention center in Lima where he is being held.

He accused Attorney General Patricia Benavides of orchestrating what he called a “coup d’état” against him.

Although new President Dina Boluarte proposed to hold elections in April 2024 instead of April 2026, she has failed to calm tensions that have escalated in the South American nation.

Previously, Boluarte, who was Castillo´s former vice president, established a state of emergency in the regions of Arequipa, Ica and Apurimac.

She is the country’s sixth president in less than five years. Former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski resigned during his impeachment process in 2018 and Martín Vizcarra was removed by Congress in 2020.