One killed in clashes between police and Gen Z protesters in Peru

Clashes between anti-government protesters and riot police in the Peruvian capital, Lima, have left a 32-year-old man dead and more than 100 people, including many police officers, injured.

The protests come less than a week after Jose Jerry was sworn in as interim president following the impeachment of his predecessor in office, Dina Bolwarte.

Wednesday’s demonstrations were organized mostly by young Peruvians demanding that the country’s political class do more to fight high levels of crime and corruption.

President Jerry said the protest had been infiltrated by criminals determined to cause chaos and launched an investigation into the circumstances surrounding the protester’s death.

He wrote to X that he “regrets the death” of Eduardo Ruiz Sáenz, but did not elaborate on the cause.

Ruth Luecke, a left-wing member of Congress, meanwhile, said “preliminary information” indicated the hip-hop artist was killed by a gunshot wound to the chest.

Luke posted his photo on social media in which she can be seen talking to a member of staff at the hospital where many of those injured in the clashes were taken.

Local media quoted witnesses as saying they saw the musician shot dead by a man they accused of being a civilian policeman.

President Jerry said he would launch an investigation “to objectively determine what happened and who is responsible.”

Heri, of the conservative Somos Peru party, was sworn in on Friday last week after then-president Dina Bolwarte was impeached on grounds of “permanent moral incapacity”.

Heri is the seventh president to lead Peru in eight years.

As head of parliament, he was next in line to fill the post left vacant by Bolwarte’s ouster to see out the remainder of her term until presidential elections scheduled for April next year.

But days after he took office, anger at what protesters called the “political class” spread, with thousands taking to the streets to demand a “clean slate”.

Protesters also demanded that the government do more to fight corruption and crime, particularly a wave of extortion in which bus and taxi drivers were threatened by gangs.

Young activists organized protests in several major cities and demanded that Jerí step down in favor of an independent MP.

In a message uploaded to TikTok, one of them calling himself “Lando” accused Jerí’s party of supporting Boluarte, whose popularity levels were in the single digits before her removal.

Somos Peru, which in the past supported Boluarte, switched sides last week and joined people calling for her removal.

Analysts say the Oct. 8 armed attack on a gang by gunmen and the outcry it sparked mean lawmakers who previously supported Bolwarte believe her position has become untenable.

The former president remains in Peru and said earlier this week that she would remain in the country pending several investigations into alleged abuses of power, which she denies.