JAKARTA - Police used tear gas to disperse protesters trying to approach the headquarters of the Peru Congress on Wednesday, as thousands descended on the streets two weeks after a deadly wave of protests over the impeachment of former President Pedro Castillo.
Yesterday, protesters marched in Lima and Arequipa, many carrying the country's red-and-white flag, demanding the current resignation of President Dina Bouarte, closing Congress, changing the constitution and release of Castillo.
Meanwhile, President Bouarte opened a "District Monitoring and Control" center on Wednesday morning, along with the defense and interior ministers.
"I call for peace, calm, and unity to encourage the development of the country," he said in his speech.
Earlier television footage on Wednesday showed police and soldiers guarding the headquarters of public institutions in several areas where protests were planned, including Ayacucho, the region with the highest number of victims in the December demonstration.
By late afternoon, there were no reports of clashes with police, which closed access to Congress, although transport authorities reported 35 blockades across the country.
Prime Minister Alberto Otarola previously called for a peaceful demonstration.
Defense Minister Jorge Chavez told local RPP news outlets authorities had "closely complied" with President Dina Bouarte's instructions to exercise force with caution.
On Tuesday, thousands of people marched in Lima and elsewhere demanding "peace and calm."
Separately, authorities said the train to the Inca Machu Picchu fort had been suspended, a day after about 2,062 tourists were evacuated.
Sergio Belloso, vice president of the Peru hotel and restaurant association, said the lack of tourists in 2022 caused by the political and social crisis had cost the state around 2.5 billion US dollars.
Castillo has been in pretrial detention for 18 months, while he has been investigated for "insurgency", a charge the former president denies.
He was ousted after he attempted to illegally dissolve Congress and reorganize the judiciary.
Boarte, the former vice president who took power shortly after Castillo's sacking. He has proposed advancing the next general election.
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