JAKARTA - Peru's defense minister declared a national state of emergency on Wednesday which will take effect in the next few hours, allowing soldiers to assist police in safeguarding public safety after a week of heated protests and road blockades.
The protests were sparked by the ouster of former President Pedro Castillo on December 7 in the impeachment vote. Castillo, the elected left-wing politician in 2021, was arrested after illegally trying to dissolve Congress.
Political upheaval has sparked outrage and sometimes violent protests across the country of Andean, especially in rural areas and mining that prompted the former farmer and teacher to take office in July last year.
Six people, mostly teenagers, died in clashes with police, authorities said. All of them were shot victims, according to human rights groups. Protesters blockaded the highway, burned buildings and stormed the airport.
"We have agreed to announce a state of emergency across the country, due to acts of vandalism and violence", Defense Minister Alberto Ot pathrola told reporters.
"This requires a strong response from the government," he said, adding that it meant the suspension of certain freedoms, including the right to assembly, a house that cannot be contested and transit freedoms.
Separately, prosecutors on Wednesday imposed 18-month pretrial custody of Castillo, who has been charged with insurgency and conspiracy. Peru's Supreme Court met to consider the request, but later suspended the session until Thursday.
Since his arrest, Castillo has been detained at the DIROES police facility in Lima. He called on supporters to come to prison, saying he should be released after a seven-day period early in pretrial detention ended on Wednesday.
"I'm waiting for you all at the DIROES facility to join you in arms," Castillo said in a handwritten message posted on Twitter, signed as President of Peru Constitutional."
Castillo also asked the Inter-American Human Rights Court to mediate on his behalf, as dozens of supporters gathered in prison demanding he be released.
However, sources from the prosecutor's office and analysts said Castillo could not be released as long as the Supreme Court completed the prosecutor's request.
Meanwhile, the Peru Court said on Twitter it would hold a hearing on Friday on "an 18-month pretrial request against former president Pedro Castillo and (former Prime Minister) Anibal Torres, who were investigated for crimes of rebellion and others."
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