Peruvian President Pedro Castillo is lifting a mandatory lockdown in the country’s capital and a nearby city after the measure sparked widespread criticism, anger and new demonstrations in the streets of Lima. Castillo had ordered residents to stay at home from 2am to 11pm local time late Monday in a bid to “restore peace and order” amid nationwide protests over rising fuel prices. and food. “We will remove it immediately [curfew]. “We urge the Peruvian people to remain calm,” Castillo said on Tuesday afternoon, along with Congress President Maria Alva, as he lifted the curfew shortly after 5 p.m. local time (10:00 GMT). The lockdown in Lima and the neighboring city of Callao came after protests erupted across the Andean nation amid anger over the sharp rise in fuel and fertilizer costs. Truckers and other transport workers have blocked major highways and at least four people were killed in clashes with police last week, the government said. On Tuesday afternoon, hundreds of protesters, most of them wearing white and red soccer shirts or the Peruvian flag, defied the lockdown order as they tried to reach the country’s Congress, where Castillo was meeting with lawmakers. The country’s prime minister had earlier in the day said the measure could be extended to other parts of the Andean nation if the unrest continues. But the measure had provoked widespread outrage and criticism from opposition party politicians, human rights experts and ordinary citizens. The curfew left major highways and public markets in Lima almost deserted throughout the day as troops joined police on the streets to manage a state of emergency that restricted various civil liberties, including the right to free movement. against arbitrary investigations. It excluded basic services such as grocery shopping, pharmacies, clinics and garbage collection, but there was no bus service – disappointing working-class Peruvians who could not get to work. “It’s a shame. We’re in a terrible financial situation, bro,” said Juan Gutierrez, a 45 – year – old father of four who waited in vain for more than an hour to get to a laundry shop where he was paid. “Do you know what it means to lose a day? “We have to work to eat.”
“Disproportionate”
The crisis marks a particularly vulnerable moment for Castillo, who won elections last year with the overwhelming support of Peru’s rural population – the same group of people who are now staging the most significant protests to date in his government. Castillo’s popularity declined rapidly and now stands at around 25%. He has survived two referral attempts and has gone through an unprecedented number of cabinet members in his eight-month rule. The president has acknowledged in recent weeks that the country is facing an economic crisis for which he blamed Russia’s pandemic and war with Ukraine. Peruvian President Pedro Castillo blames rising fuel and food prices for Russia’s pandemic and war with Ukraine [Martin Mejia/AP Photo] However, he said the unrest had caused “concern among workers, mothers and the general public” and that he had imposed a curfew to “restore peace and order”. Defense Minister Jose Gavidia told reporters on Tuesday that the curfew was prompted by reports that there were plans for wider violence, especially in central Lima. The curfew and the state of emergency have been strongly criticized by Peru’s official ombudsman, Walter Gutierrez. His office had earlier said it had lodged an urgent motion to end the mandatory lockdown, although the request has not yet been settled by a judge. Alba, the president of Congress, had also called the lockdown order “unacceptable” and said lawmakers would continue to work. He also called on Peruvians to disobey orders. Juan Pappier, a senior fellow at the Observatory for Human Rights, said on Twitter that the restriction on free movement was “disproportionate” and violated international treaties approved by Peru.
