Peru: Unions demand an end to lethal repression against protesters

The ITUC and its regional organisation for the Americas, TUCA, are following the situation of violence and state repression in Peru, following the ousting of its constitutional president, Pedro Castillo, with deep concern.

More than 60 people have lost their lives since December as a result of the police crackdown on protests, with thousands injured and hundreds arrested. Trade unions, rural workers’ organisations and other civil society groups have been illegally raided, as have universities throughout the country.

The illegitimate government of President Dina Boluarte is sustained by military repression and the far-right forces that dominate the National Congress, most of whom are accused of corruption and lack popular support.

Boluarte is also protected by powerful media conglomerates and business interests that support the violence against the Peruvian people’s right to peaceful protest.

In the rural areas, and more recently in the capital Lima, demonstrators have been demanding an end to violence and a way out of the crisis that includes:

The establishment of a transitional government.
The dissolution of Congress by bringing forward general elections in 2023.
The convening of a Constitutional Assembly to put an end to the authoritarian and anti-democratic legacy of dictator Alberto Fujimori’s infamous constitution.

The trade unions in Peru are part of a large coalition of social movements and have been actively supporting these popular demands by joining peaceful mobilisations across the country.

“The international trade union movement is calling on the international community, the United Nations, the European Union and other bodies to consider the situation in Peru as an urgent case of democracy breakdown and massive violation of human rights. We demand that they adopt measures against the Boluarte regime.

“We appeal for an end to security and military violence against the Peruvian people and the establishment of negotiations with social movements and progressive political forces to achieve a peaceful transition towards a democratic society that expresses the interests of the entire population of Peru,” said ITUC Deputy General Secretary Owen Tudor.