Peru: President to respond today to protest deaths
- June 6, 2023
- 0
Peruvian President Dina Boluarte arrived at the headquarters of the National Prosecutor’s Office in the historic center of Lima on Tuesday to answer a question about the deaths
Peruvian President Dina Boluarte arrived at the headquarters of the National Prosecutor’s Office in the historic center of Lima on Tuesday to answer a question about the deaths in anti-government protests between December and March last year. her resignation and the closure of Congress.
The Head of State is on his way to the Office of the National Attorney (Attorney General) Patricia Benavidez to respond to the preliminary investigation initiated against her in connection with the alleged commission of the crimes of genocide, murder and grievous bodily harm resulting in the death of 77 people. mobilized, 49 of whom were in direct confrontation with law enforcement deployed to crack down on protesters.
The President of the Republic confirmed via his Twitter account that “Boluarte has arrived at the (headquarters) of the Prosecutor’s Office of Peru to make statements regarding the investigations that Follow the prosecutor.
Boluarte assured last week that he would be present at the call because his intention was to facilitate “as soon as possible the clarification of the facts” and that for that reason he was not going to use the prerogative of having his statement heard at the Government Palace. . . .
However, he stressed that he would submit his application only to the Attorney General, because “this is the only competent authority in investigating the activities of high-ranking officials of the Peruvian state in accordance with the law.”
Boluarte’s lawyer, Joseph Campos, told reporters before going on stage that the president “is not going to use silence as a defense” but rather “answers all the questions of the prosecutor’s office.”
For his part, Prime Minister Alberto Otarola reiterated in RPP statements that Boluarte “will not remain silent” under interrogation by the National Prosecutor because “he is interested in clearing things up.”
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In a telephone interview from Spain, the prime minister defended the executive branch’s position on the deaths and serious injuries sustained while monitoring anti-government demonstrations, saying it was important to investigate the activities of police or military agents who committed “misuse” of their weapons and that this behavior did not correspond to the institutional order.
Otarola also participated in the investigation; his predecessor, Pedro Angulo; former interior ministers Victor Rojas and Cesar Cervantes; and current Defense Minister Jorge Chavez.
Boluarte already went to the headquarters of the Ministry of Industry and Trade on March 7, but did not testify, as he was waiting for the order for the protection of rights submitted by the Prosecutor General’s Office, which asked to be involved in the investigation on the application of the First Minister Otarola.
As part of the investigation, prosecutors also called Manuel Gomez de la Torre, head of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces, on Monday to testify, but he asked that the date of the call be changed.
Protests erupted in Peru following former president Pedro Castillo’s failed coup d’état on 7 December and continued from January onwards with mobilization and clashes with the forces of order demanding Boluarte’s resignation, closing of the Congress, advancing a general election and calling a constituent assembly.
According to various sources, at least 49 civilians died during these clashes, while the protests resulted in a total of 77 deaths as other people, including several Haitians, also died due to actions such as blocking roads.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR) in its latest report denounced the violence used by security forces during demonstrations and assured that it had found cases of “extrajudicial killings” in Peru. EFE
Source: Aristegui Noticias
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