The unrest, led by youth groups calling themselves Generation Z, comes amid a sharp rise in reported murders and cases of extortion across the country.
While Generation Z refers globally to people under 30, the Peruvian movement has expanded to include trade union members and relatives of civilians killed during the anti-government demonstrations of 2022 and 2023. Clashes broke out near the Congress building, where protesters attempted to dismantle metal barriers and were confronted by riot police. Several people on both sides were injured, according to local reports.
The protests follow the removal of former president Dina Boluarte last Friday, after major parties in Parliament withdrew their support less than six months before general elections. José Jerí, a 38-year-old legislator, assumed the presidency on an interim basis, facing a country once again gripped by political turmoil and growing public anger.
