Premises shared by the Peasant Confederation of Peruv and offices of the New Peru Movement (Nuevo Peru) and the Socialist Party were raided on Saturday by the Peruvian police as they searched for workers allegedly accused of terrorist activity. 

The raid was conducted by the head of the Directorate against Terrorism (Dircote), Óscar Arriola, and witness statements say that fifty policemen barged into the building. Press Spokesperson for Nuevo Perú, Román Paredes, claimed that police barred workers’ lawyers from entering the premises. 

Read next: Castillo states he will be released despite judge denying appeal

The National Human Rights Coordinator denounced the actions taken by the police in an attempt to impede the progression of the protests. 

In a related context, families mourned their children who were killed at the hands of the security forces, with the death toll reaching 20 and 200 wounded recorded.

No early elections underway

Peru's currently appointed President Dina Boluarte asserted on Saturday her unwillingness to step down as president despite protests gaining traction in Peru urging her to resign. She tried to satisfy the demonstrators by calling for early elections to be held in December 2023, but the Peruvian Congress rejected the request.

On December 14, the government of Peru on Wednesday proclaimed a 30-day nationwide state of emergency, to prevent protests that spurred since President Pedro Castillo was removed from office last week on allegations of insurrection and conspiracy.

PEDRO CASTILLO: President Boluarte is an usurper... "I do not quit nor abandon my functions... The people must not fall for their dirty game of new elections. Enough abuses! Constitutional Assembly now!!" pic.twitter.com/aczejrCdew

— COMBATE |🇵🇷 (@upholdreality) December 12, 2022

Health minister Rosa Gutierrez announced on Friday that 20 people had been killed since Castillo was arrested on December 7, with the education and culture ministers resigning over the deaths. 

In the latest update, Peru's Supreme Court approved to detain Castillo for 18 months before his trial, following the request of Supreme Prosecutor Uriel Teran last Wednesday.