Violent overnight protests in Peru against the week-old government of Interim President José Jerí left one dead and over 100 injured, mostly police officers.
Peru has spent nearly a decade entangled in cycles of political instability, resulting in many former presidents barely lasting a year in office. Presently, the South American country is undergoing a new period of turmoil after the Peruvian Congress voted to impeach and remove former President Dina Boluarte last week on grounds of “permanent moral incapacity” to tackle the growth of organized crime in the country.
Boluarte, a highly unpopular leftist president, took office on December 7, 2022, after her predecessor, communist former President Petro Castillo, was impeached and arrested after he unsuccessfully attempted to stage a coup and dissolve Congress and the judiciary. Boluarte served as Castillo’s first vice president and, at the time she took office, became Peru’s sixth president in as many years. Boluarte’s term lasted two years and 306 days.
Following the presidential line of succession, Head of Congress José Jerí was sworn in during the early morning hours of Friday as Peru’s new president, becoming the country’s eighth president in ten years. New general elections are scheduled for April 12, 2026.
On Thursday, almost a week after Jerí was sworn in, several youth and university groups under the “Generation Z” umbrella term marched through downtown Lima and other main Peruvian cities to protest the interim government and parliament. Protesters reportedly demanded new elections, accusing the current government and parliament of lacking legitimacy and questioning their capacity to address and fight corruption, growing violent gang crime, and other issues such as youth employment and economic precariousness.
Initially, the march was reported as peaceful but it rapidly turned violent, leading to clashes between the protesters and the local police, roadblocks, and damages to public roads. The protesters set fire to banners and cardboard boxes next to one of the police security barriers in front of the National Congress, to which the officers reportedly responded with fire extinguishers and tear gas. The Peruvian Ombudsman’s Office reported that a man identified as 32-year-old Eduardo Ruiz Sanz died during the protests.
Peruvian Prosecutors confirmed on Thursday morning that the man died from a gunshot wound. Interior Minister Vicente Tiburcio denied on Thursday that members of the Peruvian Police’s Terna urban tactical intelligence unit had any involvement in the death of the protester, asserting that “there was no police presence” at the location where the incident occurred.
“I am saddened by the death of 32-year-old Eduardo Ruiz Sanz. My thoughts are with his family at this difficult time. I hope that the investigations will objectively determine the facts and responsibilities,” Interim President Jerí wrote on social media.
Mayor of Lima Renzo Reggiardo told RPP on Thursday morning that authorities have identified the individual who presumptively shot Ruiz Sanz during the Wednesday night violent protest in Lima. The mayor pointed out that the damage caused by the protesters “is considerable,” and he promised to provide further details on the matter in the coming hours.
“There is the use of firearms by civilians, and fortunately, our cameras have identified this, and we have, and I still say this conditionally, located the person, at least their identity. But this is a matter for investigation,” Reggiardo said. He added that, depending on the outcome of the investigations, appropriate legal proceedings will be launched as soon as possible, with clearer information on the case expected in the coming hours.
“I can tell you that 80 police officers have unfortunately been victims of this violent situation, many of them hospitalized, which clearly demonstrates the aggressiveness with which yesterday’s events unfolded. Twelve civilians were treated, and I have here a list with the names, surnames, and all the details of eight people who were detained. We will have more information later today,” he further explained.
At press time, the latest public update from the Ombudsman’s Office detailed that, as of the early morning hours of Friday, a total of 102 individuals were injured amid the protests, 24 civilians and 78 police officers, all of whom are receiving medical attention and will be discharged in the coming hours.
Christian K. Caruzo is a Venezuelan writer and documents life under socialism. You can follow him on Twitter here.
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