No fewer than seven people have died in protests that hit Peru following the impeachment of erstwhile President Pedro Castillo who was later arrested for planning to dissolve Congress last week.
Two children and five adults died on Sunday and Monday respectively according to Peru’s ombudsman’s press office on Tuesday.
CNN said demonstrations have erupted in cities across the country in support of Castillo, who has not accepted his removal from office and has branded his successor Dina Boluarte a “usurper.”
Boluarte was sworn in as the first female president by the lawmakers who ousted Castillo.
Demonstrators have called for a general election, the dissolution of Congress, and the creation of a new constituent assembly.
Trains to and from Machu Picchu will be suspended from today due to the protests, railway operator PeruRail said in a statement.
“We regret the inconvenience that these announcements generate for our passengers; however, they are due to situations beyond the control of our company and seek to prioritize the safety of passengers and workers,” the statement read.
Flights have also been disrupted due to protests, with LATAM Airlines Peru announcing the temporary suspension of services to and from airports in the cities of Arequipa and Cuzco.
Protesters also attempted to storm the terminal at Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport in Cuzco on Monday, according to the Peruvian Corporation of Airports and Commercial Aviation (CORPAC).
So far there have been no reports of injuries, arrests or damage to the airport, according to CORPAC.
“We regret the inconvenience that this situation beyond our control has caused our passengers,” it added.
Peru’s National Police said that, as of Monday evening, there were blockades on national roads in at least 11 regions of the country.
In addition, the government has declared a state of emergency in seven provinces in the Apurimac region in south-central Peru.
