LIMA — Thousands of demonstrators marched
through the streets of Lima on Saturday to call for the removal of President
Pedro Castillo, the subject of an unprecedented six investigations for corruption.
اضافة اعلان
Opponents of Castillo’s government marched through
the capital’s center until dozens of riot police used tear gas to prevent them
from reaching Parliament and the government palace.
“I come to the march to get that corrupt man out.
Castillo must leave, that’s what this march is for, to get him out,” protester
Nancy Huarcaya told AFP.
“We are here representing millions of Peruvians.
Peru can’t take it anymore. We are on the edge of the precipice, economically
everything has stagnated,” Carola Suarez, holding a Peruvian flag, told
AFP.
Similar demonstrations called by political groups
and civil associations took place in other cities around the country, two weeks
before the arrival of a delegation from the Organization of American States to
“analyze” the political crisis.
At the same time, a mobilization of collectives and
unions marched in support of the president in Lima’s San Martin square.
Castillo, a former rural school teacher, has been
under nonstop fire since unexpectedly taking power from Peru’s traditional
political elite in elections last year.
He has survived two impeachment attempts since
taking office in July 2021 and is the target of six criminal investigations for
alleged graft and plagiarizing his university thesis.
In addition to these, Peru’s attorney general last
month filed a constitutional complaint accusing Castillo of heading a criminal
organization involving his family and allies.
Castillo, serving a five-year term that ends in
2026, cannot be criminally tried while in office.
“They will have me until the last day of my term
because my people have decided so,” Castillo said Saturday morning at the
government palace.
He denies that his family has committed crimes and
says he is the victim of a campaign to remove him from power.
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