The death toll from the demonstrations that have erupted in Peru following the ouster of former president Pedro Castillo has risen to 20 after authorities in Ayacucho updated their figures following Thursday’s serious clashes at the region’s airport.
In total, the Ayacucho region has registered eight deaths. To the balance must be added the six dead in Apurímac (center), three in La Libertad, in the northwest of the country, one in Arequipa, one in Huancavelica and another in Junín, as reported by Peru’s RPP.
The Regional Health Directorate of the Peruvian region of Junin reported Friday that the clashes in the district of Pichanaqui have left one dead and five wounded, including three civilians and two police officers.
«In this regard, an appeal is made to citizens and the Armed Forces to avoid further clashes and to maintain calm in order to safeguard the health and lives of the entire population,» it said in a statement, urging demonstrators to let ambulances pass.
For its part, the National Health Directorate of Ayacucho has updated the toll of victims during the clashes in the region between demonstrators and police officers, increasing the number of deaths to eight, while 52 people have been injured.
After learning of the new toll, the Peruvian Ombudsman’s Office announced in a press release on Friday that it has filed a complaint in Huamanga, Ayacucho, to determine whether Peruvian security forces used firearms against the demonstrators.
Before knowing the new number of victims in Ayacucho, the president of Peru, Dina Boluarte, expressed her condolences for the death of seven people in the clashes that took place on Thursday at the airport of this Peruvian department.
The latest deaths come amid strong protests that are taking place across Peru following the impeachment and arrest of former president Castillo on December 7. Protesters are calling on Boluarte to dissolve Congress and call for new general elections.
The Peruvian government has decreed a national state of emergency for a period of 30 days in response to the protests in support of Castillo. Likewise, the Executive has declared an emergency in the National Road Network, allowing the Army to take to the streets in an effort to protect the strategic points of the country.
Source: (EUROPA PRESS)
