Peru Closes Down Andahuaylas Airport Amid Deadly Protests; New President Dina Boluarte Names Her Cabinet

Peru closed down Andahuaylas airport amid the unrest in the country. Authorities said two people were already killed in violent protests.

The transport ministry said in a statement that demonstrators surrounded 50 police officers and workers at the airport. Photos on social media showed smoke coming from Andahuaylas airport in the south of the country.

The country's aviation body, Corpac, said the airport had been seriously affected since Saturday afternoon. Demonstrators have resorted to attacks, vandalism, and fires being started.

Reports said Peru's national and state police had been to the airport, and one officer had been injured. Police noted that one protester was killed. Peru's ombudsman said the demonstrator killed was an adolescent.

Police noted that they were still working to clarify the situation around the death. Interior Minister Cesar Cervantes later reported the death of a second person in the unrest in Andahuaylas.

The ombudsman, together with the police, appealed for an end to the violence in Peru. Local media reported that thousands of people protested in Adahuaylas on Saturday, and some tried to storm a police station.

The ombudsman noted that four police officers and 16 protesters were injured in marches. Protesters were clamoring for the release of ousted President Pedro Castillo and the resignation of his successor, President Dina Boluarte.

Peru's New President Dina Boluarte Naming Cabinets

Dina Boluarte was inaugurated as the new president after Pedro Castillo's removal, which triggered numerous demonstrations across the city.

The new president has already named former deputy finance minister Alex Conteras as economy minister and chemical Oscar Vera as energy and mines minister.

State prosecutor Pedro Angulo was named prime minister, while diplomat Ana Cecilia Cervantes was tapped to be the foreign minister under Boluarte's administration.

Boluarte became the first female president just hours after Congress removed Castillo in an impeachment vote. Boluarte was Castillo's vice president and is expected to hold the position until 2026 if no new elections are called.

Castillo is being investigated on rebellion and conspiracy allegations, and a high court ordered him held for seven days in preliminary detention.

Peru's Pedro Castillo

Pedro Castillo is a former rural schoolteacher and wildcat strike leader. He took office in July 2021, and since then, there have been reports of far-left infighting, endless corruption scandals, and ineptitude.

Lawmakers had already tried to impeach him but failed after failing to reach the required two-thirds supermajority. Castillo earlier announced that he was dissolving the Congress, introducing a curfew, and using emergency power to call new elections, according to Al Jazeera.

The constitutional court deemed the acts a "coup d'etat," and legislators soon had an overwhelming vote favoring the leader's removal.

Castillo's announcement caused numerous government ministries to resign in protest, and Congress quickly held an impeachment trial, voting 101 out of 130 to remove Castillo.

Federal prosecutors said in a statement that they condemn the violation of constitutional order, adding that no authority can be above the Constitution and should follow the constitutional mandates.

This article is owned by Latin Post.

Written by: Mary Webber

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