On July 28, Peruvian President Dina Boluarte announced that she would increase the basic salary, change the name of the Ministry of the Interior, increase the salaries of the police and the armed forces (her closest allies during this time in office), and construct a building for the Peruvian National Archive.
Regarding recent accusations of illicit enrichment and corruption against her and some government members, she claimed that neither she nor her cabinet “are involved in corruption cases.” According to some recent polls, Dina Boluarte’s government has a 90% disapproval rating.
“Nothing to celebrate”: protests amidst independence celebrations
However, while the President gave the longest message to the nation in the history of the Independence Holidays and a military parade was being prepared, hundreds marched in Peru to reject the Boluarte government in the so-called Great National March. Several delegations from cities such as Arequipa, Ayacucho, among others, arrived in Lima to demand justice for the dozens murdered during Boluarte’s government.
The demonstrations, which lasted three days, from July 27 to 29, were called by the relatives of the victims of the bloody police and military repression carried out by the recently installed Boluarte government after the coup d’état against Pedro Castillo. The demonstrators demanded the immediate departure of the Executive, the closure of Congress, the non-privatization of water, and the rejection of the Tia Maria mining project.
Around 67 people were killed during the first months of Boluarte’s government, and more than 500 people were injured. In response to these events, the Peruvian Attorney General’s Office initiated a series of investigations against Boluarte and other members of his government for possible crimes of genocide, aggravated homicide, and serious injuries.
Amnesty International stated in a report that, either by decision or omission, President Boluarte’s government is responsible for the deaths of several dozen Peruvians, as well as other human rights violations.
Congressman Guillermo Bermejo: Peru resembles the darkest times of dictatorship
Guillermo Bermejo, a Peruvian congressman, told Peoples Dispatch that while the hegemonic international press focuses its attention on the problems of other countries such as Venezuela, for example, it is silent on what is happening in Peru.
Bermejo explained that Boluarte failed to keep her promise regarding the investigation of those killed, “We have lived more than a year with more than 70 people killed by the Armed Forces. Despite this, no investigation has reached valid conclusions. President Dina Boluarte said more than a year ago that she was going to collaborate with the justice system to find out who was responsible for the deaths. After a year, she has done absolutely nothing. [On the day of her speech in the National Congress] she appeared dressed entirely in white, although, out of respect for the victims of the protests, she should have been dressed in black.”
Bermejo also questioned the democratic quality of Peru due to the internal dynamics of the power groups in control of the State. “Peru may have a Parliament, but it resembles the darkest times of [Latin American] dictatorships,” he said. “All the country’s institutions work in coordination to preserve an economic model that benefits them, and also to sustain [Boluarte] in the presidency until 2026. Those of us who disagree are experiencing political, judicial, and media persecution.”
Finally, Bermejo affirmed that in Peru, there is a plan to hinder the political participation of leftist political parties. “The Congress, manipulated by the Peruvian right wing, has eliminated the right to call referendums, just at the moment when a good part of the population was requesting to call a referendum to decide whether to call a Constituent Assembly.” he said. “The possibility for regional political parties to participate in the elections was eliminated, allowing only national political parties to register in the next elections. In this case, all national parties are right-wing”.
