‘He must go’: Thousands march for impeachment of Peru’s president

Peruvians take to the streets to ask for the resignation of President Pedro Castillo due to accusations of corruption.

Thousands of protesters have taken to the streets of Peru’s capital to demand the resignation of President Pedro Castillo, who is under six investigations for corruption.

People marched through Lima toward parliament and the government palace on Saturday until dozens of riot police fired tear gas to stop them. There were no immediate reports of injuries.

The leftist Castillo has called those who oppose his government “reactionaries” and “enemies of the people.”

“I come to the march to get that corrupt man out. Castillo must go, that is what this march is for, to get him out,” said Nancy Huarcaya.

Castillo, a former rural school teacher, has already survived two impeachment attempts since taking office in July last year. He is now the subject of six criminal cases for alleged corruption and plagiarism of his master’s thesis.

Carola Suárez held a Peruvian flag as she protested.

“We are here representing millions of Peruvians. Peru can not more. We are on the edge of the precipice, economically everything has stagnated,” Suárez said.

Peru’s prime minister, Aníbal Torres, resigned in August this year due to a criminal investigation centered on Castillo.

Castillo, who is serving a five-year term until 2026, has denied having committed any crime and said he is the victim of a campaign to remove him from power.

“They are going to keep me until the last day of my mandate because that is how my people have decided,” Castillo said on Saturday at the Government Palace.