Protests in Peru: to demand early elections and the release of Castillo

Hundreds of people continued to protest on Saturday to demand progress in the elections in Peru to choose the new president, Dina Boloart, who is preparing to form her cabinet after the sudden change of power in the country.

Polwart said, in a message on Twitter, that the police informed him that the clashes on Friday night between protesters and security forces left eight injured, including four policemen, in addition to seven detainees.

“Respect, dialogue and tolerance are fundamental in democracy,” said the president, who took office on Wednesday after the ouster of leftist Pedro Castillo, who tried to dissolve the opposition-dominated Congress.

Boulwart, 60, became the first woman president of Peru to fulfill the current government mandate, which ends in July 2026.

Local television pictures showed demonstrations in some cities in the interior of the country, and a blockade of a section of the main highway along the Peruvian coast, 300 km south of Lima, prevented dozens of vehicles from passing.

Some transportation agencies have reported that they have restricted their services to protect passengers.

The main challenge for the new administration will be to calm the political unrest gripping the country, now with protest calls for snap elections and for a council to draft a new constitution.

And in protests by supporters of the former president in the interior of the country and in Lima, which were dispersed by the police with tear gas, demonstrators also demanded the closure of Congress and the release of Castillo.

Dozens of Castillo supporters had been stationed for three days outside a police prison. Photo: AP

President Boulwart was ready on Friday to assess the election’s progress with political forces, but said now is not the time to promote an association to change the 1993 constitution in favor of a free market economy and private investment.

Dozens of Castillo’s supporters have been stationed for three days outside a police prison in the Lima region where he is being held, calling for his release.

In prison, where former President Alberto Fujimori is also being held, Castillo faces a tax investigation for alleged “insurrection and conspiracy”.

Peru’s sudden change of leadership hasn’t negatively impacted markets so far, at least, and analysts say Peru’s economic and financial institutions are still resilient in the face of political volatility.

The main challenge for the new administration will be to calm the political turmoil sweeping the country. Photo: AP