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Police, anti-TPP protestors clash in Peru

Friday, 26 February 2016 11:26 AM [ Last Update: Friday, 26 February 2016 11:25 AM ]

Demonstrators protest against the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) in Lima, Peru, February25, 2016.

Police in Peru have clashed with demonstrators protesting in the capital Lima against the government’s plans to commit to a US-led free trade pact.

On Thursday, hundreds of people took to the streets to denounce the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), a controversial US-led free trade pact signed by 12 countries.

The protest turned violent when angry demonstrators hurled Molotov cocktails at security forces who in turn responded with tear gas, sticks and shotguns.

At least 25 people were detained by the police, according to local media.

The TPP was reached on October 5, 2015 after five years of negotiations. The pact seeks to establish common standards for the 12 countries, headed by the US.

The other signatories to the pact are Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Canada, Chile, the United States, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Singapore and Vietnam.

The ambitious deal, promising the elimination of nearly all tariffs among the 12 nations, aims to break down trade and investment barriers among them.

However, Peruvians argue that it is anti-democratic and favors multinational corporations at the expense of domestic interests.

They also say that the TPP threatens healthcare by potentially increasing the prices of medical drugs, as well as threatening jobs, the environment and workers’ rights.

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