2022 Peruvian economic protests

Not to be confused with 2021–2022 Peruvian mining protests.
Not to be confused with Peruvian protests (2022–2023).

2022 Peruvian economic protests
Part of 2017–present Peruvian political crisis
Top to Bottom: Looting, A person with a sign, a blockade, person with a cellphone, and people waving Peruvian flags.
Date28 March 2022 (2022-03-28) – 18 April 2022 (2022-04-18)
Location
Peru
Caused by
Goals
  • Fuel price controls
  • Removal of President Castillo
Methods
Parties

Union of Multimodal Transport Guilds of Peru (UGTRANM)

Anti-Castillo protestors

Government of Peru

Pro-Castillo protestors
Lead figures

Geovani Rafael Diez Villegas

Casualties
Death(s)8[1][2][3][4][5]
Peruvian political crisis
Causes
Events
Elections
Protests
Armed violence
flag Peru portal

Mass protests in Peru against inflation and President Pedro Castillo's government began in March 2022. The protests occurred amid rising fertilizer and fuel prices caused by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and international sanctions imposed on Russia.[6] Some of the larger protests were organized by Geovani Rafael Diez Villegas, the leader of the Union of Multimodal Transport Guilds of Peru (UGTRANM) who had previously collaborated in late 2021 with business executives and right-wing politicians, opposing the Castillo government and whose power is recognized as rivaling the government's own Ministry of Transport and Communications. Diez Villegas demanded the removal of passenger restrictions on buses, pardons for transportation workers who were charged with crimes, and negotiations for forgiving debt owed by transportation businessmen to the government. He later organized a general strike aimed at paralysing transportation in Peru beginning on 4 April 2022 that resulted in protests, product shortages, transportation stoppages and rioting.

The Castillo government responded to initial protests by suspending a 30% fuel tax, though fuel companies refused to lower their prices and protests continued. Following widespread rioting on 4 April after the UGTRANM called for a general strike, President Castillo declared a one-month state of emergency, citing intelligence reports of planned violence, and enforced a curfew in the capital city of Lima that was later withdrawn. Rioting occurred nationwide on 5 April, with thousands demonstrating in Lima and attempting to storm the Legislative Palace during Castillo's meeting with Congress. Additionally, the offices of the Supreme Court were looted. On 7 April, Castillo met with various protest leaders to find a solution to the situation, while later that day Congress voted on a motion calling for Castillo's resignation, with 61 approving, 43 against and 1 abstaining.

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  6. ^ "Peru imposes curfew to stymie protests over rising fuel costs". Reuters. 5 April 2022.