On November 10, 2020, before the newly installed de facto government of former congressman Manuel Merinothe now President of the Council of Ministers, Alberto Otárolaquestioned the actions of the members of the National Police of Peru against the demonstrators who protested against the assumption of the acciopopulista to the Executive after the vacancy of the former president Martin Vizcarra. Now, despite the death of civilians in Juliaca, the prime minister of Dina Boluarte “fully” backs law enforcement.
“The police are currently out of control, we do not have a minister who responds politically or guides the operation in downtown Lima. Arbitrary arrests and outright repression against legitimate citizen protest are taking place. Who’s in charge?” Otárola claimed in a tweet.
Tweet by Alberto Otárola about repression in marches in November 2020. Photo: Twitter capture/Alberto Otárola
More than two years after this publication, the position of the head of the ministerial cabinet changed radically despite the report of 17 deaths as a result of the clashes between law enforcement and protesters. Among the victims are a minor and a medical intern who received a projectile when she was helping the injured.
“We fully support our police forces, which are in charge of public order control during the state of emergency, with the support of the Armed Forces, and we declare that the Government remains solid, focused on its political action plan to pacify the country. , carry out the transfer of power via general elections and reactivate the national economy”, said Alberto Otárola in the plenary session on Tuesday, January 10.
Otárola on deaths in Juliaca: “It does not weaken the Government”
In his speech, Prime Minister Alberto Otárola expressed his “deepest sorrow” and reiterated condolences to the relatives of the 45 deaths that the Government of President Dina Boluarte adds.
“It is with great feeling that I realize that yesterday, in the city of Juliaca, 17 Peruvians who were participating in a new attempt to take over the airport and road blockades were killed and 38 injured by the impact of projectiles. Also, 75 police officers are injured by protesters’ attacks with different types of blunt and thrown weapons. This new coup does not weaken the government. It is one more test that we will know how to overcome for the sake of the higher objective of defending democracy, the right to peace of the majority of Peruvians and the principle of authority ”, pointed.
