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2022 Peruvian economic protests

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2022 Peruvian protests
DateMarch 29, 2022 (2022-03-29) – present
Location
Peru
Caused by
Goals
  • Fuel price controls
  • Removal of President Castillo
Methods
StatusOngoing
Parties

Union of Multimodal Transport Guilds of Peru (UGTRANM)

Right-wing groups
Lead figures

Geovani Rafael Diez Villegas

Casualties
Death(s)5[1][2]

The 2022 Peruvian protests are a series of demonstrations occurring throughout Peru to denounce inflation and to destabilize the government of President Pedro Castillo. The protests, organized by the leader of the Union of Multimodal Transport Guilds of Peru (UGTRANM) Geovani Rafael Diez Villegas occurred amid rising inflation due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine and days after an effort to impeach President Castillo failed, resulting with product shortages, transportation delays, rioting and violence. Following widespread rioting on 4 April 2022, President Castillo declared a state of emergency and enforced an all-day curfew on the capital city of Lima for 5 April.

Background

COVID-19 pandemic

As a result of economic stagnation during the COVID-19 pandemic in Peru, between ten and twenty percent of Peruvians entered into poverty in 2020, reversing a decade of poverty reduction in the country and resulting with a poverty rate of 30.1% that year.[3][4][5][6] According to the Institute of Economics and Business Development (IEDEP) of the Lima Chamber of Commerce, the country's middle class shrank by almost half from 43.6% in 2019 to 24% in 2020 due to the crisis.[7] Following the global economic reverberations due to the 2022 Russian invasion of Ukraine that began in February 2022, inflation in Peru was greatly exacerbated.[8][1] By April 2022, the inflation rate in Peru rose to its highest level in 26 years, creating greater difficulties on the recently impoverished population.[1]

Brotherhood of Pisco

During the 2021 Peruvian general election, Peru's right-wing elite of the Lima Consensus and media organizations collaborating with Fujimori's campaign by appealing to fear when discussing Castillo, linking him to armed communist groups through a fearmongering political attack known as a terruqueo.[9][10][11][12][13][14] Shortly after his inauguration, the Peruvian press supported Keiko Fujimori by beginning a campaign of disseminating baseless allegations against the Castillo administration without criticizing their origins.[15][16] As inflation increased in Peru, the right-wing in Peru ignored the role of the globalized economy on price hikes and instead redirected the blame on the Castillo government, promoting protests against his administration in order to sow destabilization.[6]

The leader of the Union of Multimodal Transport Guilds of Peru (UGTRANM), Geovani Rafael Diez Villegas, met with President Castillo in August 2021 on behalf of the National Society of Industries (SNI) [es], a manufacturing employers' organization.[17] Due to the power that Diez Villegas holds within Peru, he was described by El Comercio as a "parallel minister" of the Ministry of Transport and Communications of Peru (MTC), with the newspaper writing that "[h]e has the decision-making power over the regulations published by the MTC and has walked through that ministry for three administrations as if it were his home".[17][18] In September 2021, leaders of the SNI, UGTRANM, political leaders and other business executives began to meet as the "Brotherhood of Pisco" and planned various actions, including funding transportation strikes in order to destabilize the Castillo government and prompt his removal.[19][20] In October 2021, the website El Foco released recordings revealing a leaked WhatsApp group chat, with Bruno Alecchi of the Permanent Transport Committee of the SNI forwarding messages from UGTRANM leader Geovani Rafael Diez Villegas about a transportation strike organized for 8 November 2021 and shared ideas of support, with the president of the SNI and former Vice President of Peru beside Alberto Fujimori, Ricardo Márquez Flores, being mentioned in the chat.[20] Planners were also discussing proposals to pay for protests and the purchase of media to support their effort to remove Castillo from office.[20] El Foco reported that they discovered a Fujimorist named Vanya Thais who created the "Freedom Project" media operation had also been in contact with the group.[20] After the messages were leaked, further leaks showed that members of the group chat warned to leave the group because of media monitoring.[20] The SNI would later release a statement that the personal opinions of individuals in their organization did not represent the entity as a whole.[19][20]

Impeachment motions

Four months into Castillo's term, his former presidential challenger Keiko Fujimori announced on 19 November 2021 that her party was pushing forward impeachment proceedings, arguing that Castillo was "morally unfit for office".[21] A short time later, controversy arose when newspapers reported that Castillo had met with individuals at his former campaign headquarters in Breña without public record, a potential violation of a recently created, complicated set of transparency regulations.[22] Audios purportedly obtained at the residence and released by América Televisión were criticized and dismissed as a scam.[23] Castillo responded to the impeachment threat stating "I am not worried about the political noise because the people have chosen me, not the mafias or the corrupt".[24] The impeachment proceeding did not occur; 76 voted against proceedings, 46 were in favor and 4 abstained, with a requirement of 52 favoring proceedings not being obtained.[25] Free Peru ultimately supported Castillo through the process and described the vote as an attempted right-wing coup.[26] Castillo responded to the vote stating "Brothers and sisters, let's end political crises and work together to achieve a just and supportive Peru".[25]

A second impeachment attempt related to corruption allegations did make it to proceedings in March 2022.[27] On 28 March 2022, Castillo appeared before Congress calling the allegations baseless and called for legislators to "vote for democracy" and "against instability", with 55 voting for impeachment, 54 voting against and 19 abstaining, not reaching the 87 votes necessary for impeaching Castillo.[27][28] At the same time, UGTRANM leader Geovani Rafael Diez Villegas – who was previously reported to be involved with the Brotherhood of Pisco to remove Castillo from office– announced the beginning of transportation strikes in Peru.[17]

Timeline

President Pedro Castillo after signing an agreement with the National Front of Carriers and Heavy Cargo Drivers on 3 April 2022

The first blockades began on 29 March 2022, the day after the failed impeachment of President Castillo.[6] Castillo stated on 31 March that protests were organized by "paid leaders" and "malintentioned", though he would later apologize while maintaining that some demonstrations "may have infiltrated".[6] On 1 April 2022, protesters in Junín began to riot, looting stores, ATMs and pharmacies, with authorities announcing that 10 were arrested during the riots.[17] Simultaneously, representatives of the Castillo government travelled through the nation to reach negotiate with UGTRANM and transportation representatives, though they were turned away.[17] UGTRANM leaders demanded that the Castillo administration lower fuel prices, though the government had already instituted the Fuel Price Stabilization Fund according to economist Jorge Gonzales Izquierdo in order to prevent diesel fuel price hikes.[17] UGTRANM leader Geovani Rafael Diez Villegas on 2 April announced a national general strike to occur on 4 April.[17]

Strong rioting in Huancayo on 3 April resulted with the deaths of four people; two died from traffic accidents, one teacher died after being prevented from receiving hemodialysis treatment and one minor drowned when fleeing street clashes.[8][29][1] President Castillo responded to the crisis by announcing on 3 April a 10% increase for the national minimum wage and further lowering fuel taxes.[30] The move, however, had little effect on transportation workers who often labor in Peru's large informal economy of nearly 70%.[6][30] Castillo also proposed removing the general sales tax, though this had to be approved by Congresss.[1]

The national general strike organized by Diez Villegas began on 4 April 2022, with bus drivers blocking roads throughout the nation to prevent transportation despite agreements made with the Castillo government on 3 April.[30][2] Transportation stoppages were reported in the departments of Amazonas, Ica, Lima, Piura, San Martín and Ucayali.[31] In the Department of Ica, the looting of stores was reported while protesters burned toll booths on the Pan-American Highway.[30][32] In Lima, one individual died in an ambulance blocked by protesters while protesters in San Juan de Lurigancho clashed with police and transport workers who did not comply with the general strike.[2][33] The National Police of Peru responded to the closure of the Central Highway in the Pachacámac District, firing tear gas at 250 protesters who clashed with police.[31] The Castillo government responded to the violence by deploying the Peruvian Armed Forces, with 95 patrols of the Peruvian Army being deployed to heavily affected regions.[30] During a late night announcement, President Castillo declared a state of emergency and enforced a total curfew in Lima for the entire day of 5 April.[34]

Reaction

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Noriega, Carlos (4 April 2022). "Castillo ante un escenario de revuelta social | Dura protesta en Perú por la suba de los precios". Pagina 12. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  2. ^ a b c "Paro de transportistas: reportan muerte de un hombre dentro de una ambulancia en medio de bloqueo". RPP (in Spanish). 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  3. ^ Asensio, Raúl; Camacho, Gabriela; González, Natalia; Grompone, Romeo; Pajuelo Teves, Ramón; Peña Jimenez, Omayra; Moscoso, Macarena; Vásquez, Yerel; Sosa Villagarcia, Paolo (August 2021). El Profe: Cómo Pedro Castillo se convirtió en presidente del Perú y qué pasará a continuación (in Spanish) (1 ed.). Lima, Peru: Institute of Peruvian Studies. pp. 27–71. ISBN 978-612-326-084-2. Retrieved 17 November 2021.
  4. ^ Migus, Romain (1 September 2021). "Can Pedro Castillo unite Peru?". Le Monde diplomatique. Archived from the original on 31 August 2021. Retrieved 15 September 2021.
  5. ^ News, Latin America (7 July 2021). "Peru's middle-class shrank by almost half in 2020". The Rio Times. Retrieved 19 September 2021. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  6. ^ a b c d e "Perú: bloqueos por séptimo día consecutivo debido al alza de los precios". France 24. 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  7. ^ News, Latin America (7 July 2021). "Peru's middle-class shrank by almost half in 2020". The Rio Times. Retrieved 19 September 2021. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  8. ^ a b "Perú aumenta salario mínimo tras protestas por alza de precios". es-us.finanzas.yahoo.com (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  9. ^ Asensio et al. 2021, pp. 87–88. sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFAsensioCamachoGonzálezGrompone2021 (help)
  10. ^ "Buenos Aires Times | Inequality fuels rural teacher's unlikely bid to upend Peru". Buenos Aires Times. Bloomberg. 3 June 2021. Retrieved 4 June 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  11. ^ Allen, Nicolas (1 June 2021). "Pedro Castillo Can Help End Neoliberalism in Peru". Jacobin. Retrieved 3 June 2021.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  12. ^ Burt, Jo-Marie (5 June 2021). "Peru's military say Shining Path insurgents killed 16 civilians. Others are not so sure". The Washington Post. The Fujimori campaign seized upon the Vizcatán massacre to reiterate the "Castillo-as-extremist" narrative, pointing to alleged ties between Castillo and a Shining Path front group, MOVADEF, to suggest that Castillo bore some responsibility for the gruesome killings.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  13. ^ "Peru Processes the Death of Abimael Guzmán". The New Yorker. 2021-09-19. Retrieved 2021-11-18.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  14. ^ "Qué es el "terruqueo" en Perú y cómo influye en la disputa presidencial entre Fujimori y Castillo". BBC News (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-11-18.
  15. ^ Asensio et al. 2021, pp. 92–93. sfn error: multiple targets (2×): CITEREFAsensioCamachoGonzálezGrompone2021 (help)
  16. ^ Migus, Romain (2021-09-01). "Can Pedro Castillo unite Peru?". Le Monde diplomatique. Retrieved 2021-09-15.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  17. ^ a b c d e f g "Paro de transportistas: las claves de un conflicto que no pudo ser resuelto por el Gobierno". Convoca (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  18. ^ "Paro de transportistas: ¿Quién es su promotor y cuáles son sus vínculos con los taxis informales que busca favorecer? | Geovani Diez Villegas | MTC | Juan Silva | Combis | Taxi colectivo | Huancayo | LIMA". El Comercio (in Spanish). 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  19. ^ a b Castillo, Maria Elena (2021-10-24).Empresarios tranzan acciones contra Pedro Castillo La República. Retrieved 2021-11-24.
  20. ^ a b c d e f "Empresarios compran medios de comunicación y financian protestas para vacar al presidente". El Búho (in Spanish). 2021-10-22. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  21. ^ "Peru's Keiko Fujimori backs long-shot effort to impeach President Castillo". Reuters. 2021-11-19. Retrieved 2021-11-20.
  22. ^ Salazar Vega, Elizabeth (2021-01-12). "Reuniones paralelas del presidente Castillo pueden derivar en investigaciones administrativas y penales". OjoPúblico (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-12-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  23. ^ "Juliana Oxenford arremete contra Cuarto Poder por "audio bomba": "No fue ni chispita mariposa"". La Republica (in Spanish). 2021-12-06. Retrieved 2021-12-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  24. ^ "Peru opposition moves to impeach President Pedro Castillo". Al Jazeera. 26 November 2021. Retrieved 2021-11-27.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  25. ^ a b "Congreso no admite a debate moción de vacancia contra Pedro Castillo". La Republica (in Spanish). 2021-12-07. Retrieved 2021-12-08.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  26. ^ Aquino, Marco (2021-12-08). "Peru's Castillo fends off Congress impeachment vote amid protests". Reuters. Retrieved 2021-12-08.
  27. ^ a b "Peru's president avoids impeachment after marathon debate". Al Jazeera. 28 March 2022. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  28. ^ "Pleno del Congreso no aprueba moción de vacancia presidencial contra Pedro Castillo". RPP (in Spanish). 2022-03-28. Retrieved 2022-03-29.
  29. ^ LR, Redacción (2022-04-03). "Padre de menor que murió en protestas de Huancayo responsabiliza a la Policía". La Republica (in Spanish). Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  30. ^ a b c d e Cervantes, Maria (4 April 2022). "Peru Deploys Army to Control Violent Protests Disrupting Exports". Bloomberg. Retrieved 4 April 2022.
  31. ^ a b de 2022, 4 de Abril. "Caos y violencia en la Carretera Central: Policía y transportistas se enfrentan con piedras y bombas lacrimógenas". Infobae (in European Spanish). Retrieved 2022-04-05.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  32. ^ "Paro de transportistas: Manifestantes incendian casetas de peaje en Ica". RPP (in Spanish). 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  33. ^ "Paro de transportistas: Manifestantes atacan vehículos en San Juan de Lurigancho". RPP (in Spanish). 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2022-04-05.
  34. ^ "Presidente Pedro Castillo anuncia inamovilidad social en Lima y Callao para este martes". RPP (in Spanish). 2022-04-04. Retrieved 2022-04-05.

Bibliography

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