Peru President undergoes questioning over protesters death
The Peruvian President is accused of committing "genocide" against anti-government protesters.
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Supporters of ousted President Pedro Castillo hold a poster depicting Peru's new president, Dina Boluarte, along with "Killer" sign during a protest in Lima, Peru, Monday, Dec. 12, 2022 (AP)
The President of Peru was questioned for over an hour on Tuesday by the Peruvian prosecutor regarding the deaths of citizens protesting against the government.
The questioning, conducted by prosecutor Patricia Benavides, is looking into claims that security forces used lethal force against the demonstrators.
Peru has been shaken by two months of protests by supporters of former president Pedro Castillo, who was impeached and arrested after attempting to dissolve parliament and rule by decree.
Read more: Deadly protests in Lima after lawmakers reject early elections: Peru
Protesters demand that Castillo's successor, Dina Boluarte, step down and that fresh elections be held.
As of February, at least 60 people have died in Peru since the beginning of the mass protests last December, while more than 1,200 others have sustained injuries.
In a tweet, the country's presidency said that Boluarte "finished her presentation before the @FiscaliaPeru where she gave statements regarding the investigations being followed by the Public Ministry."
Se informa que la presidenta de la república, Dina Boluarte, culminó su presentación ante la @FiscaliaPeru donde brindó declaraciones respecto a las investigaciones que sigue el Ministerio Público.
— Presidencia del Perú 🇵🇪 (@presidenciaperu) March 7, 2023
Read more: Peru: Lawmakers propose motion to impeach incumbent President Boluarte
The prosecutor's office announced earlier in the day that the attorney general began "taking statements from the President of the Republic, Dina Boluarte," regarding the "deaths of citizens that occurred during the social mobilizations of December 2022 and January 2023."
Fiscal de la Nación inició toma de declaraciones a la presidenta de la República, Dina Boluarte, en el proceso de investigación por el caso de las muertes de ciudadanos ocurridas durante las movilizaciones sociales de diciembre de 2022 y enero de 2023. pic.twitter.com/hlJei3azlB
— Ministerio Público (@FiscaliaPeru) March 7, 2023
The investigations opened by prosecutors in January, which also target several other ministers, accuse the Peruvian president of "genocide, aggravated homicide, and serious injury" against the protesters.
However, even if legally convicted, Boluarte remains untouchable by court until the end of her term in 2026.
