State Violence Allegations Mount Against Peru’s Boluarte Amid Probe Into 75 Protest Injuries, 69 Deaths

Peru’s Prosecutor’s Office filed a constitutional complaint against President Dina Boluarte and six former ministers on Friday, accusing them of overseeing excessive force during 2022-2023 anti-government protests.

The complaint cites 75 documented injuries and links state security actions to violent clashes that killed 69 civilians and injured over 1,800. Former Prime Ministers Pedro Angulo Arana and Alberto Otárola, along with ex-Interior and Defense ministers, face parallel allegations.

They are accused of authorizing military and police tactics involving live ammunition and tear gas. Protests erupted after Boluarte replaced ousted President Pedro Castillo, who was removed for attempting to dissolve Congress in December 2022.

Demonstrators demanded her resignation, early elections, and constitutional reforms. Security forces responded with measures human rights groups called disproportionate, particularly in Indigenous-majority regions like Ayacucho and Puno.

Internal police records later revealed orders permitting lethal force to clear “human obstacles,” contradicting national and international protocols. Boluarte’s lawyer, Joseph Camps, dismissed the complaint as politically motivated, arguing protesters initiated violence.

Former Prime Minister Otárola called the filing repetitive and abusive. The complaint marks Boluarte’s second constitutional challenge tied to protest repression; a July 2024 filing linked her administration to 44 deaths.

Congress must approve such complaints for trials to proceed, but political gridlock has stalled prior motions. Peru’s instability risks deepening investor concerns in a nation reliant on mining exports.

A 2024 law redefining protests as potential extortion has drawn criticism for criminalizing dissent, while clashes persist between marginalized communities and authorities.

Over 40% of protest deaths involved gunfire, with victims disproportionately from rural, Indigenous areas. Security forces reported six military deaths and nearly 1,000 injuries during the unrest.

The case highlights systemic tensions in a country where three presidents since 2021 have faced removal or criminal probes. Legal analysts note that unresolved complaints against sitting leaders undermine institutional trust.

Meanwhile, businesses monitor how prolonged political crises could disrupt trade and resource extraction. Peru’s copper output, critical to global markets, hinges on stability in protest-affected regions like Apurímac and Cusco.

President Boluarte retains legislative support but faces mounting scrutiny as prosecutors compile evidence of command-level accountability. The complaint underscores a pattern of lethal state responses to civil unrest, with implications for Peru’s governance and economic trajectory.