Peru's former President Castillo denies charges as protest death toll rises - CNN

CNN  — 

Peru’s erstwhile President Pedro Castillo has denied allegations of conspiracy and rebellion, pursuing his melodramatic ouster and apprehension past week. His quality successful tribunal connected Tuesday came amid ongoing protests by Castillo’s supporters that person seen astatine slightest six killed.

Castillo was impeached and arrested connected Dec. 7, aft helium announced plans to dissolve Congress and instal an exigency authorities up of a looming impeachment ballot by lawmakers.

Dina Boluarte, his erstwhile vice president, has since go president. On Monday, Boluarte projected bringing wide elections guardant 2 years to April 2024 during a televised speech.

Castillo appeared successful a virtual tribunal proceeding connected Tuesday to entreaty his seven-day detention order, an entreaty which was yet rejected by Judge Cesar San Martin.

During the proceeding Castillo told San Martin, “I person ne'er committed the transgression of conspiracy oregon rebellion” and described his detention arsenic arbitrary and unjust.

Dressed successful a bluish overgarment and sitting adjacent to his lawyer Ronald Atencio, Castillo besides said, “I volition ne'er resign and wantonness this fashionable cause.”

“From present I privation to impulse the Armed Forces and the National Police to laic down their arms and halt sidesplitting these radical thirsty for justice. Tomorrow astatine 1:42 p.m. I privation my radical to articulation me…” helium besides said, earlier being interrupted by the judge.

Since past week, demonstrations person erupted successful cities crossed the state successful enactment of Castillo, sometimes marked by clashes with Peru’s information forces,

At slightest six radical person died successful the demonstrations, including 2 minors, Peru’s ombudsman’s property bureau said connected Tuesday. And astatine slightest 47 individuals were hospitalized arsenic a effect of protests successful the cities of Lima, Apurímac, Huancavelica and Arequipa, Peru’s Health Ministry tweeted.

Demonstrators person called for a wide election, the dissolution of Congress, and the instauration of a caller constituent assembly, according to the vigor and tv broadcaster Radio Programas del Perú.

Boluarte connected Tuesday called for calm to beryllium restored to the country, and said that she had instructed constabulary not to usage immoderate lethal arms against protesters.

“Everyone has the close to protestation but not to perpetrate vandalism, pain hospitals, ambulances, constabulary stations, battle airports, (these) are not mean protests, we person reached the extreme,” Boluarte added.

Trains to and from Machu Picchu volition beryllium suspended from Tuesday owed to Peru’s protests, railway relation PeruRail said successful a statement.

“We regret the inconvenience that these announcements make for our passengers; however, they are owed to situations beyond the power of our institution and question to prioritize the information of passengers and workers,” the connection read.

Flights person besides been disrupted owed to protests, with LATAM Airlines Peru announcing the impermanent suspension of services to and from airports successful the cities of Arequipa and Cuzco.

Protesters attempted to tempest the terminal astatine Alejandro Velasco Astete International Airport successful Cuzco connected Monday, according to the Peruvian Corporation of Airports and Commercial Aviation (CORPAC).

So acold determination person been nary reports of injuries, arrests oregon harm to the airport, according to CORPAC.

LATAM called connected Peruvian authorities to instrumentality “corrective measures to guarantee safety” for the cognition of its flights.

“We regret the inconvenience that this concern beyond our power has caused our passengers,” it added.

Peru’s National Police said that, arsenic of Monday evening, determination were blockades connected nationalist roads successful astatine slightest 11 regions of the country.

In addition, the authorities has declared a authorities of exigency successful 7 provinces successful the Apurimac portion successful south-central Peru.

Peru has been racked with governmental instability successful caller years, with galore Peruvians calling for governmental change, according to a September canvass by the Institute of Peruvian Studies, which recovered 60% of those surveyed supported aboriginal elections to refresh some the presidency and Congress.

It is unclear if Boluarte’s ascendancy to the presidency tin summation wide governmental buy-in.

Boluarte “does not person a recognized governmental career,” said Fernando Tuesta Soldevilla, prof of governmental subject astatine Pontifical Catholic University of Peru. “And without partisan support, governmental enactment oregon societal enactment down her, she is anemic from the beginning.”

“Everyone knows erstwhile Dina Boluarte’s authorities began, but nary 1 tin beryllium definite however agelong it volition last,” helium told CNN.

Correction: This communicative has been updated to bespeak a revision by the Peruvian National Ombudsman of the known decease toll from Peru's caller governmental protests.