Peruvian President Boluarte testifies on deaths in protests

LIMA, PERU - SEPTEMBER 27: A convoy carrying President Dina Boluarte departed from the headquarters of the Peruvian Prosecutor's Office on Wednesday, September 27, in Lima.Boluarte had been summoned by the Prosecutor's Office in connection with the handling of recent protests in December 2022 and January 2023, during which 49 fatalities occurred.Preident Boluarte, a 61-year-old lawyer, left the premises without making any statements and was escorted by a strong police contingent that prevented journalists from accessing her.Joseph Campos, the attorney representing President Dina Boluarte, addressed reporters, shedding light on several critical aspects of the situation.Campos emphasized the need to investigate the circumstances surrounding the protests and the responsibility of politicians to maintain control while advocating for fundamental rights."The facts remain the same, and the responsibility of the president is the same for us. The only thing that has changed is the locations, so we have referred to these answers," he told the reporters outside the court.Campos also raised the issue of violence and urged the investigation to focus on those who may have incited it."The problem is the violence, and at the time of this investigation, it must turn elsewhere. Who were the ones who provoked the violence? That's also important," he said.Campos added that the president had indeed made "statements about controlling the situation, maintaining public order, and respecting fundamental rights."The case was initiated due to the deaths of citizens during social mobilizations between December 2022 and January 2023. The Prosecutor's Office seeks to determine Boluarte's responsibility in the repression of anti-government protests in the regions of Apurímac, La Libertad, Puno, Junín, Arequipa, and Ayacucho.(Footage by Eduardo Alejandro Amat Y Leon Villanueva/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)