Scene of a protest in Lima, Peru, on the evening of the 15th (local time). Lima Reuters=Yonhap News. 

Protests in Peru, led by Generation Z (born in the mid-to-late 1990s and early 2000s) demanding strong social reforms, have escalated into a bloody incident with over 100 casualties resulting from clashes with the police.

The Peruvian Prosecutor's Office announced on X (formerly Twitter) on the 16th (local time) that it has launched an investigation into the incident of one death during protests in the capital, Lima, on the previous day (15th), and that the case will be examined in the context of potential serious human rights violations.

Yesterday, gatherings and street marches centered around Gen Z youth took place in and around Plaza San Martín and Plaza Francia in the heart of Lima.

The National Association of Journalists of Peru (ANP) reported on X that the protesters, joined by teachers, artists, doctors, merchants, and ordinary citizens, chanted slogans demanding special measures from the government to address the deteriorating public safety situation and reduce the high crime rate.

Peruvian police moved to disperse the protesters around sunset, and intense clashes occurred in various locations.

Peruvian authorities confirmed that a musician named Eduardo Luis (32) was shot and killed during this process.

Congresswoman Rus Luque stated on X that initial information indicates the deceased suffered a gunshot wound to the chest.

Peruvian media outlets, including El Comercio, reported, citing eyewitness accounts, that a man presumed to be an plainclothes police officer appeared to have attacked Luis.

Police confronting protesters near the Peruvian Congress building on the 15th (local time). Lima EPA=Yonhap News. 

Injuries were also widespread, with over 100 people being transported to hospitals or treated at the scene, according to Peruvian media and the British BBC.

Yesterday's protest occurred just five days after the impeachment of former President Dina Boluarte (63) by Congress on the 10th and the inauguration of the new President, José Jerí (38). Former President Boluarte was ousted by a congressional vote due to allegations of mass killings stemming from orders for harsh suppression of protests over two years ago, as well as corruption allegations such as the 'Rolex scandal'.

President Jerí, who is taking charge of the nation for the seventh time in eight years in Peru, a country that has experienced frequent impeachments and resignations, has stated his intention to prioritize strengthening public safety until the general election scheduled for April next year. However, it appears he has not been able to pacify the accumulated grievances of the residents.

Peru, with a population of 34 million, has been plagued by a sharp increase in violent crimes in recent years. According to official figures from Peruvian authorities, the number of homicides increased by over 35% from 1,508 cases in 2023 to 2,059 cases last year.

The protests, largely led by Peruvian Gen Z, have intensified further due to anger directed at the ruling elite, referred to as the 'political class'.

Graffiti in downtown Lima, Peru, in December 2022, reading "Destroy the elites." Photographed by Special Correspondent Lee Jae-rim. 

This trend was also observed at the end of 2022.

At that time, national anti-government protests triggered by the impeachment of former President Pedro Castillo saw a strong backlash against the vested interests, symbolized by the graffiti phrase "Destroy the elites."

Although public sentiment later seemed to subside somewhat with the strengthening of some welfare policies and the authorities' promise to enhance public safety capabilities, there were also responses that this was merely a superficial solution.

Yesterday's Gen Z protests in Peru took place simultaneously not only in Lima but also in various other locations nationwide, including Ayacucho, Cusco, Chiclayo, Piura, Trujillo, and Arequipa.

Yonhap News