Protesters block the Central Highway, while the shortage worsens

More than a hundred residents of the “Chopcca Nation peasant community” of Huancavelica have been blocking the Central Highway, at the height of La Oroya, since early yesterday morning, interrupting the traffic of vehicles on the main road that connects Lima with the center of the country; fact that is recorded for the first time since the protests against the government of the president resumed Dina Boluarte.

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The head of the Highway Protection Division, Víctor Meza, explained that the road was blocked at around 2:00 a.m. at the point of sticks, stones, and burned tires. The blockades occurred between kilometers 140 and 145, and continued until closing of this edition.

A group of policemen arrived in the area to clear the road, but they were attacked by vandals from the hills with stones. “The staff have tried to unblock the road; however, they have positioned themselves in the surrounding hills and are throwing stones and other objects to prevent us from doing our work,” he explained.

With the blockade, the outlook was bleak yesterday on the Central Highway, the capital’s main supply route. Hundreds of heavy-duty trucks and passenger buses were stranded; some of them chose to continue their journey on foot, walking for several kilometers despite the low temperatures.

Faced with this situation, the forces of order reported that they will unblock the national road network. “We call on those who persist in these illegal measures to desist from it,” they mentioned.

On the other hand, in Madre de Dios, a group of protesters burned several motorcycles at the gate of the regional government, for which the staff was forced to leave the facilities. There were also clashes with law enforcement in other parts of Puerto Maldonado.

Yesterday the head of the Cabinet, Alberto Otárola, arrived in the region carrying five tons of aid, including food and medicine, to try to alleviate the shortage in that region. “(We have come to) make the decisions that have to be made, in the sense of ensuring that this population is not affected by a group of people who have kidnapped, that is the word, Puerto Maldonado,” he said. Otárola.

LACK OF FUEL

Meanwhile, in Cusco – in addition to the shortage of some products – now a fuel shortage is causing great concern; with cisterns that cannot arrive due to the blockades.

“The Lima – Nazca – Apurímac – Cusco road is closed, and the entrance to Cusco through the province of Canchis is not enabled either, there is no way for tanker trucks to reach Cusco,” explained the head of the Investment Supervisory Body in Energy and Mining (Osinerming) – Cusco, Ignacio Martínez.

It was reported that in almost all the taps the 84 and 90 octane fuel ran out, and there are few who still have 98 gasoline, registering long lines in the supply centers of the city, in addition to a rise in prices.

A similar scenario has been taking place in other southern regions such as Tacna, where trucks with food and fuel cannot reach either due to road closures.

The taps of that city have been setting limits on the sale of fuel; and there is also a lack of domestic gas.

Sutran reported yesterday, at the end of the afternoon, at least 90 points with interrupted traffic throughout eight regions of the country. The vast majority of them are to the south, in Puno, Arequipa and Cusco.

While in Lima, yesterday a group of protesters moved along the North Pan-American Highway until they reached the center of Lima, causing traffic congestion and affecting the normal operation of the Metropolitan.

KEEP IN MIND:

• Yesterday the head of the CC. Armed Forces, Manuel Gómez de la Torre, arrived in Puno carrying humanitarian aid, such as medicines.
• Peru21 He toured Juliaca, Ilave, Puno, Laraqueri and Acora and verified that the streets present a ghostly atmosphere, with closed businesses, little traffic and almost abandoned squares.
• Demonstrations are drowning the region in the most important season: the festival of the Virgin of La Candelaria.

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