Anti-corruption rally turns violent in Peru as riot police clash with protesters
Demonstrations have turned violent in Peru during the Independence Day rallies after protesters faced off with riot police amid simmering public anger over newly-revealed alleged corruption of the government of President Martin Vizcarra and members of the judiciary.
According to local media, around 5,000 angry protesters took to the streets of the capital Lima on Friday afternoon to denounce a graft scandal that has already engulfed the government and the South American country’s judiciary.
Dozens of riot police, using tear gas and water cannon, tried to disperse the marchers, but their attempts only turned the initially peaceful demonstration violent, where outraged protesters responded with stones and other projectiles.
Carrying effigies of rats or vultures, demonstrators were strongly calling for anti-corruption reforms to clean up the country’s institutions after the head of the judiciary stepped down. President Vizcarra has already vowed to clamp down on corruption but the protesters say it is “too little, too late.”
“We are out on the streets to express our rejection of the criminal networks that have corrupted the institutions of the state, the institutions of the judiciary, the Public Ministry, the National Magistrates' Council and also the Congress of the Republic,” said Jorge Bracamonte, executive secretary of the National Direction for Human Rights.
Earlier this month, the president sacked his Justice Minister Salvador Heresi after a television station released an audio of a phone conversation purportedly between the minister and a judge under investigation for influence peddling.
The audio file was only part of a number of other wiretapped phone conversations of judges and their associates that were recorded by police as part of a criminal investigation that opened on July 9 by Vizcarra before being leaked to Peruvian media.
In the recordings, judges appear to be discussing plans to trade favors, help convicted criminals and secure jobs for friends. One judge has been arrested and another has been prevented from leaving Peru. However, all the accused have denied any wrongdoing.
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