The UN representative affirmed that acts of violence and destruction of infrastructure must be investigated and punished with respect for due process.

Photo: Latin Press

The United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, Christian Salazar, described the deaths in social protests in Peru and the stigmatization of these and the protesters as unacceptable.

The senior official, who is making a visit to observe the situation of those rights, held meetings with the board of directors of Parliament and with the Prime Minister, Alberto Otárola, in the midst of persistent demonstrations demanding the resignation of President Dina Boluarte.

After the appointment with the legislators, he said that he raised the unacceptability of the balance of the protests, of more than 50 deaths and hundreds of injuries, especially in the south of the country.

“We have talked about how unacceptable the deaths and injuries in the recent demonstrations are, the importance of taking immediate measures so that they do not happen again and of forceful investigations of these cases,” he said.

He also raised the need for the Peruvian State to guarantee the right to protest, "even in situations as complex as the ones Peru is experiencing now" and to avoid stigmatizing demonstrations or those who participate in them as terrorists, which is done frequently in Parliament and sectors of the press.

Salazar included in the dialogue that acts of violence and destruction of infrastructure have to be investigated and punished with respect for due process.

In the meeting with Prime Minister Otárola, "We have requested information on what the Government is doing to prevent these deaths and injuries from happening again, that the cases be well investigated," said the official who was received yesterday by President Dina Boluarte.

He specified that his visit aims to support and strengthen the capacities of the Peruvian State "in respect for human rights in the country" and announced that at the end of the visit he will issue a statement on the Peruvian situation.

(With information from Prensa Latina)