Protesters are demanding the resignation of President Dina Boluarte, who took office last month following the sacking of Pedro Castillo.
In southern Peru, dozens of anti-government demonstrators clashed with police amid renewed unrest following the dismissal and detention of former president Pedro Castillo.
Protesters tried to occupy the airport and police used tear gas to disperse them, Reuters reported. Protesters set fire to police tanks outside Juliaca’s Inca Manco Capac Airport in Peru’s Puno region late on Friday, according to local media reports and images circulating on social media.
Demonstrations against new president Dina Borarte resumed this week after a two-week hiatus. In December, 22 people died in violent clashes after Castillo was impeached, arrested, and detained.
Puno news outlets reported that 15 people were injured during Friday’s protests. Three police officers were injured in the clashes and flew to the capital Lima for treatment, police said on Saturday. More than 40 people have been injured since protests resumed on Wednesday, the health ministry said.
Airport services were suspended “due to violent behavior and lack of security,” according to Peru’s Andes Airport, which operates Juliaca Airport.
Protesters forced the temporary closure of three Peruvian airports in December.
Protesters are calling for Mr Bolarte’s dismissal after the opposition-dominated parliament overwhelmingly voted to sack Mr Castillo on December 7. Demonstrators are also demanding the closure of parliament, a constitutional amendment and the release of Castillo.
Castillo has served 18 months in pretrial detention while under investigation for “treason” charges after he illegally tried to shut down Congress, which he denies.
In a statement, the ombudsman’s office said up to 49 lockdown points were reported in different parts of the country on Friday, an increase from the previous day.
Al Jazeera’s Mariana Sanchez, reporting from Apurimac in Peru, said hundreds of farmers took part in the protests on Friday.
Protesters told Al Jazeera they were demanding that the government implement the election policies of former President Castillo.
“I want President Dina Boluarte to resign. She is not our representative,” said protester Lidia Piraca.
In the Ica region on Peru’s central coast, protesters blocked a major highway, stranded dozens of passenger and freight vehicles.
“We have already supported the strike last year and have been out of work for about 10 days, but the fact is that given the pandemic and all the circumstances so far, we would like to continue working. “
The attorney general’s office said on Friday it was reviewing complaints against Mr. Bolarte and three ministers and would open an investigation into the deaths that occurred during the December protests if warranted.
Rights groups have accused security forces of using deadly firearms and firing smoke grenades at demonstrators. The military said they used homemade weapons and explosives.
