On December 6, 2022, President Castillo was impeached for attempting to dissolve the nation’s Congress and calling for new elections. Congress ignored his decree. Castillo was immediately taken into custody. He remains in jail, ordered by Peru’s Supreme Court. Vice President Boluarte became Peru’s first female President after lawmakers arrested Pedro Castillo. This is Peru’s 6th President in the last 5 years. Protests/rioting calling for political change broke out around the country. They have gotten progressively more severe in the last 6 weeks. As of today, over 50 are now dead and 775 injured in the clashes . Our local airport in Arequipa was invaded again today. Previously the protestors/rioters destroyed the security infrastructure and set fire to security gate while overtaking the airport’s runway. Police/Military have blocked the Pan American Highway. This is the main road in and out of Arequipa to control entry into the city.
In the capital of Lima, over 12,000 police/military have been deployed. Again today, fierce clashes broke out in Arequipa. Live footage from the city showed people trying to tear down airport fences and fields surrounding the airport were bellowing smoke. All flights were suspended again. Worker strikes, transportation strikes and blocked roads are expected to continue.
