Three years have passed since they lost their loved ones during the violent repression of the Government of Dina Boluarte and to this day they continue to encounter impunity, ridicule and complicity from the politicians in power. For this reason, when the relatives of the 50 victims of the protests of December 2022 and March 2023 hear electoral promises offering them justice and hope, they are still distrustful.
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And it’s no wonder. Through a review of the government plans of the 39 political parties authorized by the National Elections Jury (JNE), The Republic has been able to detect that four of them propose the creation of a Truth Commission on deaths that occurred during social protests in Puno, Ayacucho, Apurímac, Junín, Arequipa, Cusco and La Libertad. They offer this, according to their reasons, with the aim of granting civil reparations to the relatives of those murdered after police and military repression.
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Of these four political groups that will participate in the elections on April 12three are from the left and one from the right. In the first group are We will win, Now Nation and Together for Peruwhich have Alfonso López Chau, Ronald Atencio and Roberto Sánchez as presidential candidates, respectively. Meanwhile, in the second he is alone Popular Freedomwhose presidential candidate is Rafael Belaúnde.
What does each match offer?
Venceremos, of candidate Ronald Atencio, promises that – on the first day of administration – the Truth Commission will be created (2021-2026) “which will guarantee the investigation and prosecution of those responsible for the massacres of 2022 and 2023among other human rights violations.”
“Without justice or memory there will be no true peace. There will be no reconciliation if the truth of the more than 50 brothers and sisters murdered in the protests of 2022, 2023 and 2025 is not recognized, nor of the environmental and social defenders who gave their lives for their territories,” reads the Venceremos government plan.
Together for Peru, for its part, mentions that it will implement a Plurinational Truth and Transitional Justice Commission not only for the victims of the protests of 2022 and 2023 but also for those of the internal armed conflict of 1980 and 2000. “It will have among its functions to evaluate the expansion of economic, symbolic and community reparations,” he explains.
The party of still congressman Roberto Sánchez explains that for civil reparations the National Fund for Comprehensive Reparations and the approval of the Law on Comprehensive Protection of Human and Environmental Rights Defenders. “Military and police files will be declassified to determine responsibilities and pardons or prison benefits for human rights violators will be prohibited,” he responds.
Now Nación, in a few lines, also offers that everything necessary to seek justice will be carried out, in order to punish those responsible for the deaths that occurred in the protests that occurred between 2022 and 2023. “Currently, there is an insufficient guarantee and effective protection of human rights in Peru”he warns.
These three left-wing parties are joined by Libertad Popular, led by presidential candidate Rafael Belaúnde. In his government plan, he promises that a investigative commission into the events of Juliaca, Huamanga, Arequipa and Cusco It will have the mandate to hear all cases of deaths and serious violations of fundamental rights that occur in 2022 and 2023. “The Peruvian State will recognize its moral, political and legal duty to guarantee truth, justice and reparation to the victims of human rights violations,” it states.
Response of the bereaved
Aware of these proposals by The RepublicRaúl Samillan, president of the Association of Bereaved Victims of Protests in Punoand Yovana Mendoza, president of the Association of Victims of December 15, 2022 in Ayacuchothey could not hide their distrust.
“Well, while it may sound encouraging because it would allow us to find justice, The problem is that nothing assures us that they will comply and that, in reality, it is a way to win votes.”says Raúl Samillan, who adds that none of these groups, especially Venceremos and Together for Peru that have a presence in Congress, have come to talk with the leaders about the demands and needs of the families of the victims of police and military repression.
Samillan points out that it would be regrettable if these political parties tried to obtain political benefits without caring about the pain they feel because In these three years they have only encountered obstacles, ridicule and acts of impunity on the side of the Executive, Congress and the Prosecutor’s Office.
Yovana Mendoza, meanwhile, thinks similarly to her colleague from Puno. “These four political parties must approach the mourners and sign a commitment because otherwise it will be just words. It may not be that they are only promising to take advantage and win votes. Using our pain would be unethical,” he says from Ayacucho.
Mendoza feels outrage because the State has turned its back on each of the 50 families of the victims of the massacre that occurred during the repression of the Government of Dina Boluarte. But they don’t give up. The mourners of the regions are preparing a mobilization towards Limaso they hope to arrive next Wednesday, January 28, to commemorate the third year of the murder of Víctor Santisteban in the capital.
Family members will also protest for the deactivation of the Special Team of Prosecutors for Cases with Victims during Social Protests (Eficavip)which was ordered by the acting Attorney General, Tomás Gálvez.
“Now they tell us from the Prosecutor’s Office that the prosecutors of that team will continue with the investigations in other teams, but we do not believe anything.” to that prosecutor of the Nation who is part of this mafia coalition”said Samillan and Mendoza.
Four months before, in September 2025, they felt another taste of injustice and impunity. when the Permanent Commission of Congress filed the constitutional complaint against former president Dina Boluarte for deaths during social protests.
“We hope to find justice sooner or later. We hope that the parties that are promising that, comply and commit, we are already tired,” they said.
