Thousands march in the 'Toma de Lima' to protest against the president of Peru

Thousands of Peruvians from various parts of the country gathered this Thursday in the capital in the so-called "takeover of Lima", to demand the resignation of President Dina Boluarte, the closure of Congress and express their weariness for the neglect of the State that they consider that suffer.

“We demand that this (de) facto government leave. Usurper (referring to Boluarte), we do not want more of our compatriots to continue dying. We are not in a civil war and yet he is killing our brothers. We don't want a civil war," Víctor Pérez told EFE.

Pérez, who was walking along the central Avenida Abancay, affirmed that the current executive has not been elected by the people, so it is not legitimate and whoever is, is Pedro Castillothe former president currently detained and dismissed after his failed self-coup.

The march, called by unions and various groups, began peacefully before 4:00 p.m. local time, but soon there were clashes between protesters and policewho formed large barriers to prevent the passage to avenues with public institutions.

“We are protesting peacefully and we find it outrageous that they do not let us go to (the wealthy neighborhood of) Miraflores. It is the last straw that the gentlemen of Miraflores do not let us protest against this dictatorship because they simply realize that it favors them. It favors all power groups in the country. In Peru we are living a dictatorship," a protester with a national flag in her hands told EFE.

Thousands of people marched with a strong police presence through the center of Lima with the aim of reaching the aforementioned Miraflores neighborhood in the next few hours.

The protesters, many of them dressed in Peruvian flags and the wiphala, frequently used by some indigenous communities, demand the immediate resignation of the president, Dina Boluarte, the closure of Congress, new elections for 2023 and the calling of a constituent assembly. .

"Dina murderess, genocidal resignation", "Not one more death, Dina resigns" and photos and names of people who have died in recent weeks accompanied the protests.

In addition, the march featured flags and posters from the different departments and towns from which protesters have traveled, as well as proclamations in Quechua.

Shortly after it began, there were incidents that occurred in several downtown streets, including the Azángaro street, in the vicinity of the Foreign Ministry and the Ombudsman's Office, and on Abancay Avenue, which leads to Congress. .

At these and other points, the PNP dispersed the demonstrators with tear gas canisters, while they threw stones, sticks, and other objects at the agents.

Anti-government protests have killed 54 people since they began in early December, following Castillo's failed coup. (EFE and Reuters).