麻豆社

The fifth-most-populous nation in Latin America has been the scene of violent demonstrations since early December, when the country鈥檚 leftist president, Pedro Castillo was arrested for trying to dissolve Congress.

Now the deaths of 17 Castillo supporters at the hands of the security forces on Monday have prompted the country's attorney general to open an investigation into President Dina Boluarte. The charges include "genocide, qualified homicide and serious injuries".

Eduardo Dargent is a Professor of political science in the pontifical Catholic university of Peru.

He told Newsday what he makes of the recent developments, saying, "For a long time in Peru, protests have not had this kind of human cost, I think the first thing to say is that these protests have been very badly controlled by the government. And there has been excess, people that have not been involved in the protests have been killed. So it calls for a deep investigation, what has happened, and why it has happened."

(Photo: A demonstrator holds a banner that reads "Peru is in mourning" during a protest at the Plaza de Armas,10th January, 2023. Credit: Getty Images)

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