Peru

PeruS President Defies resignation⁢ Calls Following Deadly protests

Peru‘s newly appointed President, Jose Jeri,‌ has ‌stated he will not ​resign despite intensifying protests ⁤fueled by the death of a popular rapper and widespread‌ discontent over⁢ crime. the⁢ demonstrations,⁢ largely driven by Gen ‌Z, began a ‍month ago⁢ with demands for improved pensions and⁣ wages for young⁢ people, and escalated‍ into broader calls for change amid frustrations with corruption and insecurity.

The government announced late Thursday a state of emergency will be declared in the capital, ​Lima, coinciding with a prosecutor’s inquiry‍ into the ‍death of 32-year-old Eduardo‌ Ruiz, a hip-hop singer, ⁢during ‍Wednesday’s ⁣mass demonstration.

Police Chief General ​Oscar⁢ Arriola identified Luis Magallanes,a member of the police​ force,as‌ the individual believed to have‌ fired the fatal shot. Magallanes has been detained, dismissed from ⁢his position, and is ⁣currently receiving hospital treatment after reportedly being‌ physically assaulted.

Ruiz’s death marks the first fatality in the protests,⁤ which ultimately contributed to the removal of former President Dina ⁤Boluarte last⁢ week. Thousands demonstrated ⁣across the country on Wednesday, with ​clashes occurring between ​protesters and police outside Congress⁢ in Lima. Demonstrators are‌ calling for Jeri, the seventh president ‌in ‌less than a decade, to step down.

“My responsibility⁤ is to maintain the stability of the country;⁢ that is my ‌responsibility and my⁣ commitment,” Jeri told​ local media following a ⁣visit to‌ Peru’s parliament, where he indicated he would request additional powers to combat‍ crime.

Jeri expressed regret over Ruiz’s death in⁢ a post on X, stating the incident would⁢ be “objectively” investigated and attributing the violence to “delinquents who⁤ infiltrated a‌ peaceful demonstration to sow chaos.” He vowed,⁢ “The full force⁢ of the law will be on them.”

Al Jazeera’s ⁣Mariana Sanchez, reporting ‍from Lima, noted that‍ Ruiz’s death⁤ has “added another layer‍ to ⁣the ongoing political crisis” and “angered even more ‌Peruvians who are frustrated ⁢with the ⁢corruption, with the insecurity in the country.”

Activist Milagros​ Samillan told Al Jazeera, “He was peacefully hanging out with his friends. sadly, the bullet hit his chest. we want justice for him.”

The prosecutor’s office announced on X that Ruiz’s body⁢ has been removed from‍ a‌ Lima hospital and that they are collecting⁣ “audiovisual and ballistic evidence in the area where the incident occurred,in the context of serious human rights violations.”

According to newly appointed Interior ​Minister Vicente Tiburcio, ⁢89 police officers and 22 civilians ⁢were injured during Wednesday’s protests, and‍ 11 people were detained.