The Peruvian government has deployed its armed forces to control violent protests against inflation that have intensified since last week. The protests have caused clashes with police, temporary food shortages in Lima and they disrupted agricultural exports.
Bus drivers began a strike earlier in the day, blocking highways and extending a crisis that had started last week when protesting truckers and farmers interrupted the supply of food to the capital. The country’s agricultural exports, including blueberries, avocados and grapes, are now suffering disruptions, according to an association of exporters.
President Pedro Castillo, who just survived a second impeachment attempt by congress last week, lowered fuel taxes and increased the minimum wage by 10% over the weekend to help Peruvians struggling with the fastest inflation in 24 years. Yet the measures did little to appease bus drivers, most of them working informal jobs without fixed salaries.
Source: ajot.com
