Peruvian President Pedro Castillo announced a Tuesday curfew for the capital Lima and neighbouring port city Callao following a Monday demonstration that caused roadblocks and “acts of violence”.
Protests had erupted across the country in recent days due to a hike in fuel prices and tolls, during a period in which Peru is also suffering from a rise in food prices.
In an attempt to appease protests, the government eliminated the fuel tax over the weekend.
But Monday’s demonstration saw truckers and passenger carrier drivers continue to take to the streets.
Several violent incidents, including the burning of toll booths on highways, looting in stores, and clashes between protesters and police, occurred in different areas of Peru in the first such stoppage faced by Castillo’s leftist government.
Castillo announced late Monday that Peru’s Council of Ministers had approved a curfew for the following day.
“In view of the acts of violence that some groups have wanted to create… and in order to reestablish peace… the Council of Ministers has approved the declaration of citizen immobility (curfew) from 2:00 am to 11:59 pm on Tuesday, April 5,” he said in a televised message.
The embattled Castillo had survived an impeachment attempt by congress last week—the second time in eight months in a country with a recent history of ousting its presidents.
