Nfter the impeachment of the president in Peru, an airport was paralyzed and partly set on fire during protests by his supporters. According to a statement by the airport and airline company Corpac, quoted by the Peruvian media, the airport in the city of Andahuaylas was surrounded on Sunday.
There were 50 police and Corpac employees on the premises who were held hostage. According to media reports, the rioters demanded, among other things, the resignation of the new President Dina Boluarte and new elections.
As reported by the operator, the fuel depot and the communications room at the airport were set on fire. The runway and important equipment were also badly affected by violence and vandalism, it said. Because of the attacks, which began on Saturday, the airport in the southern city with around 50,000 inhabitants had to close.
Corpac asked for police reinforcements to protect the lives of the “hostages.” Already on Saturday evening (local time) there were clashes between demonstrators and the police. In other parts of the country, according to media reports, demonstrators blocked highways.
The previous Vice President Boluarte replaced Pedro Castillo as head of state and government on Wednesday. Shortly before a vote of no confidence against himself, he had announced the dissolution of the congress. Parliament then removed him from office, and on Thursday the former left-wing village school teacher was taken into custody on charges of rebellion.
On Saturday, Boluarte, the first woman to hold the highest office in the South American country, sworn in her cabinet and made the ministers swear they were not corrupt.
