“They march like Nazis against their own people”: Petro lashes out at police repression in Peru

Peru’s authorities are “like Nazis marching against their own people,” declared Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro.

The current Peruvian government called his statements “an act of interference that violates the norms of international law” as violent demonstrations have been shaking the Andean country for several months.

“They march like Nazis against their own people, breaking the American Convention on Human Rights”, declared Gustavo Petro in a speech during an event dedicated to the installation of Colombian ambassadors.

In his words, “all Latin American governments and Joe Biden’s Administration must apply the American Convention on Human Rights and not only to leftist governments.”

“This is a double standard for anyone. It applies to all governments, which is our position,” he said.

The current president of Peru, Dina Boluarte, called the words of her Colombian counterpart an “act of interference.”

“[We express] Peru’s energetic protest for the new act of interference of President Gustavo Petro in internal political issues, conduct not consistent with the norms of International Law”, stated the country’s Foreign Ministry.

Meanwhile, in the framework of the violent anti-government protests that plague Peru, 7 troops died after being ambushed in the city of Vraem, communicated by the National Police.

“We mourn the loss of our police brothers who were ambushed when they were traveling in a police vehicle in the town center of Natividad in Vraem, where 7 troops have died, and one police officer has survived,” the agency highlights in its Twitter account.

Authorities identify the Vraem area as the center of remaining terrorist activity in Peru.

On December 7, Boluarte, who at the time was the country’s vice president, took over as president following the dismissal of Pedro Castillo.

Elections were scheduled for 2026, when Castillo, who took office in July 2021, was due to finish his term.

Since December 10, citizen protests began demanding Boluarte’s resignation and early elections for this year.

70 people died in clashes between demonstrators and police during the protests.

According to the Peruvian Ombudsman’s Office, at least 58 civilians have died in the social protests due to clashes with law enforcement or related events.

With information from Sputnik