A youth group known as the Generation Z Collective in Peru, has announced plans to stage fresh protests on Saturday, demanding the resignation of interim President José Jerí and the dissolution of the country’s deeply unpopular congress.
The movement said the upcoming rally will also honour Eduardo Ruiz, a rapper known as Truko, who was shot dead by a plainclothes police officer during a recent anti-government demonstration.
“We will continue to march as many times as necessary,” said Jorge Calmet, one of the group’s leaders, asserting that the right to protest cannot be suspended by “a commander, a congressman, or a president without legitimacy.”
Peru’s government declared a 30-day state of emergency on Wednesday, restricting freedom of movement and public gatherings while deploying the army alongside police to combat escalating crime.
Official data shows homicides rose by nearly 36% in 2024, with extortion cases also climbing sharply.
Jerí assumed office on 10 October following the ousting of former president Dina Boluarte over alleged “moral incapacity” linked to corruption and abuse-of-power scandals -accusations she has denied.
Protesters accuse the current congress of shielding organised crime through lenient laws and undermining prosecutors. “This is a dictatorship in disguise,” Calmet said.
The latest unrest reflects growing discontent among Peru’s younger generation, who say they are tired of corruption, inequality, and lack of opportunity. “We want a modern Peru -one we do not have to leave to build a better life,” said 21-year-old activist Milagros Rojas.
