Crisis in Peru: protests, popular overflow and a leftist government that leads the country into a debacle

Our country is still not recovering from the almost 11 days of protests and demonstrations that took place in various regions after the rejection of the management measures of Pedro Castillo, in view of the increase in fuel and the price of the basic family basket. The first strike that occurred was that of carriers, where it cost the city of Huánuco more than 16 million soles a day in losses, according to a report issued by the Chamber of Commerce.

“Huánuco moves around 8 million soles a day. The shutdown of transport scheduled for Monday, March 4 and Tuesday, March 5, would cause the region to lose more than 16 million,” said Refulio Huaccho. It should be noted that the economic impact generated by trade and services represents 10% of regional GDP.

But this situation was not alien to what happened during the fifth day of the strike in the city of Huancayo, where the transport and agriculture unions put a halt to all their activities, in which the excesses, looting and damage to public and state property went out of control.

That's when a group of state ministers came to the Wanka Coliseum to talk with the angry population of Huancayo and put this strike, which caused great losses to our country's economy, in cold cloths.

AGREEMENTS

After almost a week in which the region of Junín felt “betrayed” by its authorities, especially because of the absence of Pedro Castillo, it came to various agreements to lift protests and measures between the government and the community.

“Truce agrarian strike, 5 days, heavy cargo transport stoppage is lifted. Also suspension of the ISC (Selective Consumption Tax) on fuels (6 months), temporary elimination of IGV (General Sales Tax) on chicken, noodles, flour and rice,” Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Roberto Sánchez Palomino wrote on Twitter.

Sánchez was one of the six ministers who made up the government delegation that traveled to Junín this Saturday to set up a technical table with social leaders in the area and resolve the demands of the transporters, who have been on an indefinite strike since Monday 28 March.

THEY ASKED FOR PEDRO CASTILLO

In communication with RPP Noticias, Carlos Garagati, Huancayo's urban transport manager, indicated that he has stayed in a record with specific points that “have to be carried out in the short term.”

“The first point that has been achieved is the 90% reduction of the Selective Consumption Tax. It must be published in the Peruvian by Tuesday at the latest. And a bill on the total reduction of the CSI, from the missing 10%. The government has not had to wait so long, for six days to pass, when two deaths have occurred,” he said.

He also considered it regrettable that the president had said that leaders were paid. “That has hurt the bases. That is why the unemployment has gone out of control and people have come out,” he added.

For his part, Enrique Paredes, president of the Farmers Association of the Macro Junín Region, stressed that in the region there are approximately 5,000 farmers, who have been affected by the price increase, to the point that they cannot cover the cost of production.

FOOD SHORTAGES AND PRICES THROUGH THE ROOF

After almost 7 days of protests in the city of Huancayo and roadblocks, there was a shortage of food in the city of Lima. The price of vegetables rose by up to 200%, especially in the case of carrots, peas and spinach. On the other hand, the price of chicken soared to almost 11 soles per kilo and eggs to 7.80 soles.

Those who suffered most from these shortages and high prices were the most economically vulnerable housewives and families, which is why a group of them came out with their empty pots to protest and ask for urgent measures from the government so as not to continue harming the population.

NATIONAL STRIKE IN ALL MODES OF TRANSPORT

The president of the Union of Multimodal Transport Guilds of Peru (UGTRANM), Geovani Diez, assured that the president's expression is false and that the Executive has no concrete intention to solve his demands, in the face of the rise in fuel prices.

In addition, at that time, they rejected the statements of Aníbal Torres, president of the Council of Ministers, who said that Peruvians should replace chicken with fish in the face of the rise of prices.

“All bases are being called in all modes of transport. With the insult that the president has made, instead of calming the spirits, he has made the majority of carriers who were undecided, to make that decision. There will be no public transport, tourist transport, taxis, collective cars, motorcycle taxis and, in some regions, river transport. All of them are fighting, they are going to paralyze their activities. Where possible, there will be peaceful marches with which we will mobilize in all parts of Peru,” said Geovani Diez.

“We are definitely entering a national standstill on the 4th, but in all forms,” he added in a dialogue with La República.

ICA REMECIÓ

Although an agreement had already been signed in the Junín region, the southern part of the country was not going to stand idly by and they took the radical step of closing the main access road in the Chinatown area.

The violent clashes that occurred on Wednesday, April 6 in the Ica region between the police and groups of protesters left the death of one person dead and wounded between police and civilians.

The deceased, identified as Jhony Quinto Contreras, lost his life in the area of Urban Expansion, at kilometer 290 of the Panamerican South, at the entrance to the district of Salas-Guadalupe, province of Ica, according to police report. Around 26 policemen were injured.

Faced with this, the Minister of the Interior, Alfonso Chávarry, traveled to Ica and ordered the transfer of 203 personnel from the Special Operations Directorate (Diroes) of the Peruvian National Police (PNP) “to restore public order and ensure the integrity of citizens”.

CASTILLO ORDERS A CURFEW AND POPULATION GOES OUT TO PROTEST

A few hours after the end of April 4 (11:40pm), President Pedro Castillo issued a supreme decree ordering compulsory social immobilization in order to “avoid looting and abuses” that could affect the integrity of citizens. This measure was rejected by the population, who in the afternoon came out to protest. However, this demonstration against the president's measures went out of control and culminated in looting and damage to private property in the center of the capital by vandals.

It was recorded that a group of vandals took advantage of protests against the government to cause damage in different parts of the capital. Both public and private property were severely affected, thus leaving in poor condition the headquarters of the Judiciary, the Public Prosecutor's Office, the National Jury of Elections, and the Metropolitan Beehive station. In addition, damage was reported in the Concepción church, two Tambos stores, ATMs and AFP Prima headquarters.

PETER CASTILLO IN HUANCAYO

More than a week later, Pedro Castillo arrived in the city of Huancayo as part of the decentralized Council of Ministers session. There he listened directly to the leaders, who did not stop demanding him for the lack of commitment in his electoral promises, for the absence and silence during these weeks of protests.

During his speech, Castillo Terrones expressed his condolences for the people who have died during the demonstrations that took place in recent days in different parts of the country, such as in Ica and Huancayo. “I would like not only to apologize, but also to express my condolences to the people who have lost their lives in these fights,” he said.

“I have always accompanied these struggles, defending water, education, but in the best way, not throwing stones, not knocking bricks, not picking up a knife, not taking a gun. They have the streets and parks open to demonstrate, because that is democracy. We want to tell the country that we are going to lay a foundation that in Peru freedom of protest must be a right,” he said.

ANÍBAL TORRES PRAISED ADOLF HITLER

During the visit of President Castillo and his ministers to the city of Huancayo, Premier Aníbal Torres mentioned the genocidal Adolf Hitler, which generated great controversy after praising him.

“On one occasion, Adolf Hitler visits northern Italy and Mussolini shows him a motorway built from Milan. Hitler saw that, he went to his country and filled it with motorways, airports and made it the first economic power in the world,” said the premier, although his version is inaccurate, since Konrad Adenauer, who was mayor of Cologne (1917-1933), proposed the construction of several motorways.

He would then try to recant because he had been criticized: “There is no human being absolutely good or absolutely bad. That if we had given as an example of Germany's progress on the roads of communication, it is a real fact. That is not to say that Adolf Hitler is not considered a great criminal and that all those who supported him were prosecuted, punished, for the very serious crimes they committed. No one is judged by his good deeds, but by his evil deeds.”

This is not the first time that the politician has made controversial and misplaced statements that could cost him his rapid departure from office.

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