(Bloomberg) — Peru’s capital is bracing for major protests Thursday as farmers and students are gathering in Lima to demand the resignation of President Dina Boluarte after weeks of demonstrations in impoverished rural areas failed to dislodge her.
(Bloomberg) — Peru’s capital is bracing for major protests Thursday as farmers and students are gathering in Lima to demand the resignation of President Dina Boluarte after weeks of demonstrations in impoverished rural areas failed to dislodge her.
Police have deployed more than 10,000 officers to try to maintain order after violent confrontations have led to more than 40 deaths, mostly in the south of the country, the world’s second-biggest copper producer. The area surrounding the presidential palace is closed off, as are several other Lima landmarks, in preparation for the main demonstration, planned to kick off at 3 p.m.
“It could be the biggest protest since the unrest began,” Peruvian political analyst Andrea Moncada said. “If police repress the demonstration harshly there’s a risk that people could become much more radically, which would add to the pressure on Boluarte to resign.”
The Andean nation has been rocked by unrest since Boluarte took office on Dec. 7, after her predecessor President Pedro Castillo was impeached. The violent protests have so far been largely concentrated in Peru’s impoverished rural south, where Castillo has much of his support and where most of the country’s copper production is concentrated.
Read more: Peru Extends Steepest-Ever Interest Rate Rises Amid Turmoil
The demonstrators have grown increasingly enraged as the death toll rose. As well as Boluarte’s resignation, they want new elections. Some also want to rewrite the Constitution and for Castillo to be released from detention, where he has been staying since being removed from office after attempting to shut congress.
What Bloomberg Economics Says
“Political instability is showing no signs of abating in Peru, and the economic cost is rising. Our analysis puts the total to date at around 2% of GDP. A large march in Lima planned for Thursday risks significantly escalating the problem.”
— Felipe Hernandez, Latin America economist
— Click here for the full report
While swathes of Peru have been roiled by violent chaos, Lima has until now been relatively unscathed. Protest leaders say they are now taking their protests to the capital because their voices have not been heard in their own regions.
President Boluarte has called for the protests to be peaceful, while Labor Minister Alfonso Adrianzen urged employers to allow workers to work remotely on Thursday.
The capital has been under a state of emergency over the last month, which suspends some civil liberties and gives extra powers to the security forces.
As of Wednesday, around 100 highways were blocked by the demonstrations. The blockades have disrupted the transportation of copper from some big mines, including Glencore Plc.’s Antapaccay and MMG Ltd’s Las Bambas.
(Recasts to reflect beginning of demonstrations, analyst commentary in)
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