LIMA: At least 18 individuals sustained injuries during violent anti-government protests in Peru’s capital over the weekend.
Authorities and independent organisations confirmed the casualties on Sunday following clashes between demonstrators and police forces.
Hundreds of protesters gathered in Lima on Saturday to voice their discontent with President Dina Boluarte’s administration.
The youth-led “Generation Z” collective organised the demonstration which quickly escalated into violent confrontations.
Police deployed tear gas to prevent the crowd from advancing towards presidential and parliamentary buildings.
Protesters responded by throwing stones and sticks as tensions mounted in the government district.
Twelve police officers suffered injuries during the clashes according to updated official figures.
Six journalists also sustained pellet wounds while covering the unrest according to the National Association of Journalists of Peru.
A photojournalist from the weekly newspaper Hildebrandt En Sus Trece reported being directly targeted by police pellets.
Both the journalists’ union and the National Human Rights Coordinator condemned the police repression during the protests.
President Boluarte’s approval ratings have plummeted amid rising extortion and organised crime cases.
Several opinion polls indicate widespread public perception of government and congressional corruption.
The legislature recently passed a controversial law mandating young adults join private pension funds.
This legislation has faced criticism due to Peru’s precarious working environment for many young people.
Demonstrators plan to continue their protests with another day of actions scheduled for Sunday. – AFP