Peruvian President Dina Boluarte has expressed concern over the third ‘Takeover of Lima’ planned for July 19th, as part of the resumption of anti-government protests. She has labeled this as a threat to democracy, the rule of law, and institutionalism. The president has made it clear that such actions will not be tolerated by her democratic government.
The protests, which have been characterized as violent by Boluarte, have caused chaos and crisis since they began in December 2022. The president has not acknowledged the 67 deaths that have occurred during the protests, despite international organizations linking these deaths to law enforcement actions.
Dina Boluarte: “No entendemos por qué nuevamente atizan sus banderas de guerra y anuncian con llegar a Lima, desde voces del VRAEM, queriendo tomar todo el país. Eso no lo vamos a permitir”. pic.twitter.com/ooYHbkYwhH
— Jonathan Castro (@jsudaka) July 18, 2023
The president has reiterated that peaceful protests will be respected, but acts of violence will not be tolerated. She has also emphasized the need for the government to be firm, stating that Peru is a sovereign country that desires peace, dialogue, and unity. She has expressed confusion over why the protesters are once again raising their “war banners.”
The protests are set to resume on a national level on Wednesday, with 21 regions confirmed to participate. The march in Lima, where the largest protest is expected to take place, is set to begin at 3 p.m. in the central Plaza Dos de Mayo.
#Ahora | La presidenta Boluarte pide que “no se agreda a la Policía”. Según cifras de Defensoría del Pueblo, 49 de los 61 fallecidos recibieron impactos de proyectiles y de bombas lacrimógenas.
— Epicentro.TV (@Epicentro_TV) July 18, 2023
The protests are being led by several provinces, particularly Puno, which have been preparing for these demonstrations for months. Martha Mamani, a leader from Puno, has called for the protests to be a historic day for future generations. She has expressed her pain over the 49 deaths that occurred during past anti-government protests, which were the result of confrontations with police and military forces.
Key mining areas in Peru are also expected to join the protests on July 19th, according to environmental organization CooperAcción. They have criticized the government and parliament for processing a series of bills that they believe threaten environmental institutions.
#AHORA | Delegación de mujeres Aymaras de Ilave, Puno, ha partido rumbo a la Tercera Toma de Lima junto a otros grupos de ciudadanos. También se ha reportado que varias delegaciones de Cusco, Arequipa y Lambayeque ya se encuentran en Lima para participar de las marchas.
Video:… pic.twitter.com/IskPDruHLX
— Wayka (@WaykaPeru) July 18, 2023
The Peruvian National Police (PNP) will deploy 24,000 officers to guard the demonstrations, with a commitment to respect human rights. Interior Minister Vicente Romero has stated that the police force is morally prepared and well-trained to handle the protests.
#AHORA | Delegación de mujeres Aymaras de Ilave, Puno, ha partido rumbo a la Tercera Toma de Lima junto a otros grupos de ciudadanos. También se ha reportado que varias delegaciones de Cusco, Arequipa y Lambayeque ya se encuentran en Lima para participar de las marchas.
Video:… pic.twitter.com/IskPDruHLX
— Wayka (@WaykaPeru) July 18, 2023
The protests and the government’s response have sparked international attention, with many watching closely to see how the situation will unfold.
