Peruvian protesters set US flags ablaze during heated demonstrations, expressing dissent against perceived foreign influence. The dramatic scenes underscore rising tensions and anti-American sentiment in the region.
On Thursday, protesters opposing the government in Lima, Peru’s capital, set fire to U.S. flags as a demonstration against President Dina Boluarte and Peru’s role as host of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum.
The unrest occurred simultaneously with the arrival of global leaders, including American President Joe Biden and China’s Xi Jinping.
Online footage captured activists setting American flags on fire while chanting slogans like “Get out, imperialist Yankees.” Banners reading “APEC trash looters out” and “APEC accomplices to dictatorship” underscored the widespread discontent regarding Peru’s economic relations with global powers.
Protesters contend that these alliances advantage the elite and worsen inequality and crime.
“We face daily extortion and we’re exhausted,” protester Madeleine Rojas informed AFP. “Peru’s international reputation is poor; that’s why we’re here.”
The protests were sparked by a transport union strike calling for stronger measures against organized crime.
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The General Confederation of Workers of Peru, the country’s largest labor union, supported the strike and intensified demands for more robust public security policies.
Walter Carrera, the president of the National Association of Transporters (Asotrani), expressed concern over the worsening crisis in the nation. “We want to inform the international community that our lives are at stake. There is a lack of effective policies to combat organized crime and public insecurity directly,” he stated.
Demonstrators tried to march toward the Lima Convention Center, where APEC meetings are taking place, but encountered a significant police presence. Conflicts broke out as officers blocked the protesters from approaching the venue.
Opponents of Boluarte’s administration claimed that Thursday’s protests were strategically planned to capture international attention. “We want leaders such as Biden and Xi to understand what is truly happening here,” a protester stated.
Amidst the turmoil, the Peruvian government promised that the APEC summit would continue as scheduled.
