2022counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)12month8Since the day that former President Jose Pedro Castillo Terrones ("Castillo") was impeached by Congress and detained by the police, Peru has been in a state ofNationwide demonstrationis happening. While the protesters are strongly demanding Castillo's release and re-election to decide the president,Amnesty InternationalAccording to,2023counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)2As of June, the number of deaths related to the demonstrations was at least60people and condemns the government's violent crackdown as a humanitarian issue.

Behind the demonstrations this time lies not only the arrest of the former president, but also Peru's social and political problems. This article will take a closer look at the background.

Scene of the march in the capital (photo:Mayimbú / Wikimedia [CC BY-SA 4.0])

Peru's Political System

First, we will look at Peru's political history to date. Peru is located in Latin America, with a population of about3,300The 10,000,000home (i.e. hometown, home country)The first is.1For more than 10,000 years.civilizationand amidst the rise and fall of numerous civilizations,11In the 19th century, the Inca Empire, a huge empire that had never existed beforehold (i.e. hold true)Do.1500By the year 1900, the Inca Empire had absorbed other civilizations, extending its power north to what is now Ecuador and south to Santiago, the capital of what is now Chile.enlargementThe company was

However,1532The Inca Empire was invaded by an invading force from Spain inconquestThe Spanish colonized the area and many settlers moved into the area. Spain colonized the region and many settlers moved in. The indigenous population of what is now Peru was decimated by pathogens brought in from abroad.drastically reducedThe following is a list of the most common problems with the1821Despite gaining independence from Spain in 1949, the political and economic structure dominated by a small Spanish elite remained unchanged, and indigenous peoples continued to be oppressed. In addition, forces within the government were not unified, and even after independence, forces such as former military officers who gained power during the independence movement and conservatives who are members of the economic elite have been in conflict with each other.political instabilitycontinued. In such a situation,1840Around the 1950s, the country began to modernize economically with the development of guano, a raw material for fertilizers and gunpowder.Growing Aspectsalso showed. 

1879With neighboring Chile over mineral resources since 1949armed conflictoccurred. As a result of this conflict, Peru lost possession of the mineral-rich province of Tarapaca, and thus lost much of its economic base. In response, the government decided to rebuild the nation,20At the beginning of the century, public works and other public expenditures were financed by U.S. capital.enlargementIn the same period, U.S. international oil companies began to explore oil fields in Peru. At the same time, U.S. international oil companies were developing oil fields in Peru.acquisitionetc,1908Since the year1930Until around the 1980s, the Peruvian regime became increasingly dependent on foreign investment and established a dictatorial political system. Since that time, Peru has exported domestic products such as oil, copper, and rubber.economic structureThe economy was growing at a 

Zinc, silver, and lead mines in Peru (Photo:SkyTruth(Google Earth image) / Flickr [CC BY-NC-SA 2.0])

As the economy expanded, the gap between urban and rural areas did not narrow. The elite, descendants of settlers, forced natives to work as serfs on plantations.compositionremained the same, and indigenous peoples and farmers had difficulty accessing education and health care.1969In 1949, the then leftist government redistributed landagrarian reformand to strike a law that would send teachers from the government to the communities where the school buildings were founded.policybut the guarantee of indigenous rights and infrastructure in rural areas were not sufficient. Also, the right to vote for illiterate people was not granted until the agrarian reform10It was two years later, and indigenous peoples and farmers, who had not previously been literate, were excluded from the elections.

and1980Fernando Bellround Terry, who became president in the 1970s, promoted neoliberal policies, but the El Niño phenomenon (note 1The economic situation in Peru has been affected by problems such as the decline in fishery production due to natural disasters, such as theaggravationThe poor were forced to take a harder and harder life. This caused the unemployment rate to rise and other hardships on the lives of citizens, and the poor were forced to live in ever more difficult conditions. Taking advantage of this social discontent, a rebel group in rural areas called the "Sendero Luminoso" (Peruvian Communist Party)appearanceThe Peruvian government was in a state of confusion. They carried out assassinations and acts of terrorism, plunging Peru into chaos.

1990While Alberto Kenya Fujimori Inomoto ("Mr. Fujimori"), who was elected president in the 1980s, instituted policies such as fiscal austerity,1992In 2006, he dissolved the Congress, dissolved the Constitution, and so on,Strong dictatorshipThe company built a About10Under this system, which had been in place for two years, people who were considered "suspected terrorists" were indiscriminately massacred, and Fujimori was accused of directing the massacre,2009In the year25Sentence of imprisonment for one yearThe company has been sentenced to

Even after Fujimori resigned,2016Since the year2022Year.6In the year7Peru's political instability continued as the country produced two presidents.

Castillo Administration

2021counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)7Castillo, who won the elections in May and became president, is an anomaly in Peruvian political history. He was1956Not born in urban Lima since 1949.2He is the second president and, as a peasant-bornfor the first time in historyIn the past, the presidential office was held by an elite group of people, such as the ancestors of settlers. Until then, the presidency had mostly been held by people from the elite class, such as the ancestors of settlers, and people such as indigenous peoples living in rural areas had a history of economic and political exclusion. Even today, many rural villages remain poor and lack basic infrastructure such as hospitals and schools.inadequateIn many cases, the government has been unable to do anything about the situation. In response to this situation, Mr. Castillo is the first leftist government in decades to expand spending on social security, such as health and education, in order to correct the gap between rural and urban areas where extreme poverty persists.campaign pledgeThe company received a lot of support from the rural community for doing so.

Mr. Castillo speaking (Photo:OEA-OAS / Flickr [CC BY-NC-ND 2.0])

Mr. Castillo also indicated a willingness to make changes in Peru's policies regarding mineral resources. Although mineral resources still have a significant impact on the Peruvian economy, which has always relied on them, most of the profits are being given to foreign companies.Flowing.World The World's3a large mining company.BHPGroup, Rio Tinto, and Glencore, as well as the oil company Shell, have also been involved in mining operations in Peru.Large investmentThe company was doing the same thing in Peru. It was Mr. Castillo who insisted that these foreign companies return their profits to Peru. He argued that foreign companies should return their profits to Peru.Looting.The government of Peru was concerned that a large portion of the profits from domestic natural resources would be available for Peru. To this end, the development of domestic industry through the development of domestic gas infrastructure and the expansion of domestic demandplanThe company was

At the time of his inauguration, however, his supporters in Congressabout3-th (e.g. one fifth)1about, and the rest were elite, conservative right-wingers (see*2). In some aspects, these legislators have actively blocked Mr. Castillo's policies, making it difficult for him to implement the policies listed above. In addition, the Congress has also charged Mr. Castillo with corruption,2023counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)2As of May.6Two Corruption InvestigationsHe had been promoting the Castillo denied his own allegations of corruption and said that right-wing forces control state institutions such as the Public Prosecutor's Office and that he has always been under attack.claimHe had been a member of the board of directors of the company. Since he took office,1In the past two years2From the Congress of Degrees.impeachmentand overcame four times thecabinet shake-upThe company was forced to Others, through a smear campaign in the mainstream media that supposedly speaks for the elites, have been forced by the right topolitical pressureIt is said that there were

However, the instability of this administration was not only due to the forces that prevented it. One factor is believed to be Castillo's lack of political experience before becoming president. For example, Mr. Castillo's campaign pledges to the mineral industry, which he had promised during his election.nationalizationand had called for a National Council for Constitutional Reform, among other things. However, his policies showed no signs of compromise, and he was unable to solidify his political base and bring about major changes in thePolicy IntroductionThey were attempting to

Mr. Castillo (center) participates in the ceremony (photo:Ministerio de Defensa del Perú / Flickr [CC BY 2.0])

Outbreak of "coup d'etat" and then demonstrations

2022counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)12month1On April 1, the Peruvian Congress was forced to suspend the election of Mr. Castillo due to multiple allegations of corruption against him.3the second timeProcedures for ImpeachmentThe company has been working on this project for the past two years. This attempt is the first time in the past2The first time, the company failed because it lacked the necessary votes, and this time, too, the failure was tinged with failure.richnessIt was believed to be a good idea. However, in a televised message to the public, Castillo countered this move by saying that he would temporarily close Congress and establish a temporary government to create a new constitution.declarationI did (*)3) This changed things dramatically. Almost all of the cabinet ministers did not follow his move immediately after the announcement.resignationand condemned Castillo's decision.1992Fujimori's dissolution of Congress in 2006 was the catalyst for his dictatorship.caseThe Constitutional Court prevented Castillo's "coup d'état" because there were alsoclaimThe decision was made by the Similarly, the Peruvian national judiciary and the military have also made this decision.unconstitutionalityThe company states that it is

Congress cited "permanent moral incompetence" as the reason that Rep.3-th (e.g. one fifth)2The Peruvian Constitution allows the president to be removed from office if the113On the basis of Article,2022counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)12month8Castillo was removed from office on April 1, and the judiciary charged him with "rebellion.indictmentThe police then attempted to arrest Mr. Castillo. In response to this congressional decision, Mr. Castillo went to the Mexican Embassy to seek asylum.Sought.However, he was detained by the police along the way, leading to his incarceration without any court proceedings. Mr. Castillo's2026The Congress inaugurated Dina Ercilia Boluarte Zegara ("Boluarte"), the vice president, as president to serve out her full term until 2012, and the Congress formed a new cabinet, but this process did not follow democratic election procedures and was decided entirely within the Congress.

Borarte, who became president (photo:Presidencia Perú / Flickr [CC BY-NC-SA 2.0])

In response to these developments, many people in Peru fully supported Mr. Castillo and staged protest demonstrations throughout the country. They claimed that Mr. Castillo was the victim of a congressional "coup" and called for Mr. Borarte's resignation and early elections.demandThe protests included blocking major roads in the country and marching in the city of Lima.

However, government repression of the demonstrators was intense,2022In the three weeks since Castillo was removed from office in 2006, the number of injuries related to the demonstrations was500The number of people and deaths are26with one's whole bodyreportThe demonstrators and sometimes citizens uninvolved in the demonstrations were attacked. Attacks on protesters and sometimes citizens unrelated to the demonstrations werereportThe cabinet that has already been formed by Mr. Boluarte has said that the death of his countrymen cannot be justified.2The two ministers.resignThe government has caused a stir over a series of government actions, including the following. Mr. Borarte has been in office since4Although a state of emergency was declared in some areas in the first two days, the demonstrations did not gain momentum, and a nationwide state of emergency was subsequently declared for the rest of the country.declarationThe first time, the company decided to do so. 

On the other hand, Mr. Boluarte is against the public actively protesting.Call for a truceHe also insisted on peace in Peru. In response to the protesters' request for early elections, Mr. Borruarte said that Mr. Castillo's term of office, which he originally planned to complete, would be up to him.2A compromise was reached to shorten the period by one year.suggestionThe company is doing so.

Surrounding reactions to Peru

The reactions of various countries to the above political situation in Peru are divided. Neighboring Latin American countries, including Mexico, Colombia, and Argentina, are at least14countries support Castillo and even approve of the current administration.refusalThe company is also a member of the Mexican government. In addition, Mexico, Argentina, Colombia, and Bolivia4In their joint statement of support for Castillo, the countries said that "Castillo has been subjected to anti-democratic harassment by Congress since the day he took office."statementThe government has been doing so. In fact, the Peruvian Congress refuses to allow Mr. Castillo to attend international meetings that he is required to attend by the Castillo administrationincidenthad also been in the past. Thus, the conflict between the Peruvian Congress and Mr. Castillo was clear even from an international standpoint.

This movement among Latin American countries is said to be driven by the conflict between right-wing and left-wing regimes in the region. Right-wing governments in Latin America are mainly pro-U.S. and tend to have neoliberal policies, while left-wing governments are anti-imperialist (*3), and often set forth policies to expand social welfare. This trend of increasing left-wing governments is called "pink tide (tide)" (*4) and is called,2022Since about the year 2000, this kind oftrendis being seen anew. The countries that supported Castillo this time may have been significant in asserting leftist government collaboration in Latin America, where the right-left conflict is shaking out.

On the other hand, one of the countries cited as supporting the current administration is the United States. In response to Castillo's declaration to dissolve Congress, Lisa Kenna, the U.S. ambassador to Peru, also stated that Castillo's actions were a violation of the Constitution and that the U.S. would categorically reject such an action.tweetThe government has been doing the same. Also, shortly after the change of government in Peru took place, the U.S. State Department immediately expressed its support for the Boluarte administration byrepresentationThe first time, the company was in a position to do so.

Some have argued that the U.S. has an agenda regarding these U.S. moves. Mr. Kenna is a member of the Central Intelligence Agency (Central Intelligence Agency(the country from which Castillo was born) and that he had met with Peru's Minister of Defense the day before Castillo's arrest.reportThe day after the meeting, the defense minister ordered the military to rebel against Castillo, the president. The defense minister was the one who, the day after the meeting, ordered the military to defy President Castillo. This implies U.S. involvement in the overthrow of the Peruvian regime.voiceThere is a

The Peruvian Ministry of Defense tweets about the meeting between the U.S. Ambassador to Peru and the Peruvian Defense Minister (Photo: Maika Ito)

After the transition to the Borarte administration, Mr. Kenna has continued to meet regularly with top officials of the current administration,2023counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)1month18On April 1, he said he had discussions with Peru's Minister of Energy and Mining and others about investment in Peru's energy sector and expanding the country's industrial development.announcementThe company has been Unlike Mr. Castillo, who wanted to nationalize his mining operations, he was willing to accept foreign investment.current administrationis said to have aligned its interests with those of the United States, which wants to expand access to Peru's domestic resources.

Future Outlook

2023counter for years (following a number in the hito-futa-mi counting system)3As of June, protest activities are still ongoing but are diminishing. For example, the lifting of roadblocks set up by protesters has led to a slowdown in Peruvian copper exports, which had been stagnant.normalizationIt is expected to do so. Meanwhile, Peru's Prosecutor General has interviewed Mr. Boluarte about the crackdown that led to the deaths of protesters.official announcementdid. Borarte was summoned because several members of the current administration are reportedly considering charging her with murder. She left no comment for reporters. against such an administration,Peruvian Institute (IEP(Survey ofNow let's look at the respondents'75%does not support Mr. Boluarte, and as for the Congress90%The survey reported that the government of Boluarte is not supported by the The above suggests that the Boluarte administration is not necessarily on a stable trend.

Many have raised questions about the rural-urban divide behind this "coup" and the political system in which the right wing controls state institutions. However, essential solutions may not be possible unless the limited elite class within Peru compromises and cedes power. We must continue to watch the course of Peru with an eye on whether the Peruvian government will acquire such a stance.

note 1　El Nino phenomenonis a phenomenon in which sea surface temperatures in normally cold water areas become higher than normal due to the inflow of warmer water from the equator.

*2　Also,10In the Peruvian Congress, where there are more than two political parties, the power of political parties is easily underestimated and it is difficult to build a strong base of support in the political system.question (e.g. on a test)There was also

note (supplementary information) symbol3　According to Castillo, the move will allow Congress to2The Peruvian Constitution, which allows for the dissolution of the assembly when it has been rejected for a vote of confidence on more than one occasion.134Article, but it is widely argued that this action does not meet the requirements of the Constitution.Seen by.The following is a list of the most common problems with the 

*4　anti-imperialismis to resist imperialism, which uses other countries politically and economically for its own benefit. Anti-imperialism in the text means opposition to U.S. intervention in Latin America

*5　."pink tide (tide)2 Pink Tide: Originally, there was a phenomenon known as the Red Tide, meaning the spread of communism. In contrast, the transition to leftist governments that occurred in Latin America resulted in the emergence of socialist governments to the extent that they did not reach the level of communism, so the term pink tide is said to mean a slightly lower degree of communism, using pink, which is lighter in color than red.

Writer: Maika Ito

Graphic: Yudai Sekiguchi