Fiery protests persist across Peru, total death count up to 54

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As violent protests persist across Peru and highways remain blocked, Peruvian Ombudswoman Eliana Revollar stated: "We are witnessing ongoing violence — there were 145 blocked roads yesterday [on Thursday], today [on Friday] there are 120.

The country is in an abnormal state … The situation is critical — there cannot be winners and losers, as 54 people have already died. We need to resolve the issue through dialogue."

In the city of Puno, six have been injured and hospitalized with one seriously wounded, according to the ombudswoman during an interview with Peruvian broadcaster ATV on Friday, as she added that four police officers in the city were admitted to the hospital as well.

The government extended by 30 days a state of emergency from midnight Saturday for Lima, Cusco, Callao, and Puno, authorizing the military to back up police actions to "restore public order." It suspended constitutional rights such as freedom of movement and assembly, according to a decree published in the official gazette.

In Puno, the government declared a night curfew for ten days, from 8:00 pm to 4:00 am. On his part, Peruvian Prime Minister Alberto Otarola called on protesters to "radically change" their tactics and opt for dialogue.

So far and as cited by the broadcaster, Peruvian Defense Minister Jorge Chavez said that the most fierce protests have occurred at the airport of the city of Arequipa alongside the Antapaccay copper mine in the Cusco region. Interior Minister Vicente Romero estimated the total number of detentions since the riots began to 378.

Foreign Trade and Tourism Minister Luis Elguero confirmed that due to the suspension of train operations going to the world-famous Inca citadel Machu Picchu and the destruction of its railways, over 400 tourists got stuck. 

Refusal to step down 

After demands for her resignation, Boluarte said she would not resign after another day of protests and roadblocks across the country, as well as the arrest of a trade union leader with alleged ties to Maoist rebels.

“Some voices coming from the violent and radical groups demand my resignation, bringing people to chaos, disorder, and destruction. I say to them responsibly that I will not step down,” Boluarte said while speaking to the nation in a late-night broadcast on state TV on January 14.

The South American country has been rocked by more than a month of protests, mostly in the southern and eastern areas, since the ouster and arrest of Boluarte's left-wing predecessor Pedro Castillo on December 7 after attempting to dissolve the nation's legislature and rule by decree.

At least 54 people got killed during clashes with security forces, including a police officer who was burned alive in a vehicle, and hundreds more got injured.