Protesters, consisting of indigenous activists and workers, raise flags in Plaza San Martín, Lima, Peru in opposition to the coup government of Dina Boluarte, January 2023. Photo: La Tercera.
The Historic Centre of Lima, located primarily in the Cercado de Lima and Rímac areas, has been designated as a no-protest zone by the Lima government, implying that limitations will be imposed on public gatherings and marches in the district.
This was announced by the Metropolitan Council of Lima, which approved the initiative put forth by Lima’s mayor, Rafael López Aliaga. López Aliaga, leader of ultra-right wing party Renovación Popular, has stated on various locations that he does not support the protests against the government of de facto President Dina Boluarte and the Congress. This time, he justified the imposed limitations as a method of protecting the cultural heritage of the Peruvian capital. Thus, moving forward, there will be restrictions placed on the demonstrations which had up until now been selecting meeting points in the main streets and squares of Lima.
This is not the first time that executives in Lima have attempted to establish no-protests zones in Lima’s main streets. Years ago, when Luis Castañeda Lossio was the mayor of the capital, he had proposed the same initiative as López Aliaga, but he failed to obtain the backing of the Metropolitan Council, and hence the proposal did not come into effect.
In addition to the Historic Centre, the district of Miraflores, one of the most important areas of Lima and a popular tourist destination, has also been declared a no-protest zone. However, these measures by the municipalities may soon be annulled, as they violate the democratic rights of the people, name their right to protest, as well as their right to freedom of movement.
Although mobilizations in Lima are paused for now, people of other areas of Peru such as Trujillo, San Martín, Piura, and Lambayeque have announced that they will resume protests soon. Meanwhile, in Puno, the region where police repression has caused the highest number of deaths in the country, activists and workers have continued striking.
(HispanTV) by Aarón Rodríguez
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/SC/KZ
