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Riots break out across Peru - Protestors set fire to government building

The head of Peru's national police along with Peru's minister of the interior affirmed Tuesday that the entire country's police force would be on the streets ensuring Wednesday's national strike did not get out of control.

Just several hours after the strike began; the national police reported that 100 people found disturbing the peace had been detained.

By Wednesday afternoon, Luis Alva Castro, the country's minister of the interior reported that another one hundred had been incarcerated for inciting riots and attempting to block roads.

While the country's airports and ports have not been overrun by frustrated citizens - protesting everything from Alan Garcia's free trade policies to the law of the jungle - dozens of highways have been blocked and a government building has been set on fire.

Protestors in Puerto Maldonado, a city in Southeastern Peru located in the Madre de Dios region, looted and set fire to offices belonging to the governor's office.

Police reported that at approximately noon, vandals broke into the government building and set fire to chairs, desks and computers.

It took over 100 police officers to chase away the protestors.

According to local media, protestors were demanding that the governor of Madre de Dios support them in their claims.

In Lima, reporters were attacked as they covered an assembly at 2 de Mayo Plaza.

Members of the country's largest trade union federation (CGTP) assured that reporters were being paid to spread lies about them.

In northern Peru, the Andean country's national police have put out street fires in Trujillo and prevented a group of protestors from taking a bridge in Tumbes.

Despite their efforts, highways such as Panamericana Sur in Ica have been blocked, affecting hundreds of vehicles.

Gerónimo López Sevillano, head of a civic front in Arequipa has affirmed that the strike has been peaceful in Peru's "White City".

He explained that citizens were protesting an increase in the cost of staple foods, the privatization of ports and airports as well as trade policies that "would harm Peruvian agriculture".

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# Rice & Sugar says :
9 July, 2008 [ 19:01 ]

Don't these poor fools realize that we white people are the ones in power. We will show them who is the BOSS :) Increase the prices of ALL STAPLE FOODS.. that will teach them a lesson

HAHAH

# 100% Peruvian says :
9 July, 2008 [ 19:38 ]

Mind your own business.This problem doesn't concern you.

# mericorps says :
9 July, 2008 [ 20:09 ]

As I have stated before, these humalasitos are neither leftest nor interested in imporving Peru, they are sheep being lead by an opportunist who is in turn only a puppet from Chavez.

There are many good reasons to support leftist causes, but you have to be smart about it..these people are not.  They hurt the poor, do not effect change and have no focus.

They are destrying Peru from within, not changing it for the better.

# Does not matter says :
9 July, 2008 [ 20:21 ]

In reality, I am from Puerto Maldonado, so I know what really happened.... I havent seen any arrestations in the streets, people with bow and arrows and javelins control the streets for 3 days, all shops have to be closed, noone is allowed to drive a car or motorcycle, if not they will force you to stop throwing javelins, stones, and puncture your tires.. Police were patroling the streets a bit but not to many, and were just watching for 3 days, they bothered noone as the streets were loaded with people dressed up like indians with bow and arrows.
They set this afternoon a whole governmentcomplex on fire, shooting enlightened arrows in the complex, and other arrows at policesecurity of the building untill they surrendered and fled. From then on it got a lot worse. I have to say it werent protestants doing the damage but young hooligans from here'. They entered the complex and set really everything on fire, all cars and truck, gasolinedepots inside etc. there were big fireexplosions, these eruptions of fire reached as high as a 100 metres, there were like 10 of them, a realy thick smokecurtain for at least 4 hours.
At this very moment there is no police or military in the streets, in front of the complex 100's of young hooligans are trying to open the cashmachine that was outside built in a wall of the governmentcomplex which seems impossible as they have no tools for it, other 100's of people have entered the complex now to steal all things that seems still usefull to them.
As a matter of fact there is a pretty friendly atmosfere in the streets, they just concentrate on government property. 
So to say that white people are in control is a big understatement.

# CapitanDan says :
9 July, 2008 [ 20:40 ]

Mericorps, Your words of wisdom are falling on deaf ears. It's sad, people do not realize these government buildings will be rebuilt at the sacrifice of more meaningful projects. Sad , but True Friends

# does not matter says :
9 July, 2008 [ 20:51 ]

I just wanted to correct the original story of what happened. As it was said that more then a 100 policemen drove off the protestors, truth was that indigenas ( indians ) scared the s*** out of the police and made them fled. Since this afternoon it is anarchy in Puerto Maldonado as the police is nowhere to been seen. As protestors are yelling in the streets: the village, united never will be conquered, seems to be the case at this moment.

# does not matter says :
9 July, 2008 [ 21:28 ]

Anyone interested in the real story, go to this webpage:

http://www.rpp.com.pe/2008/07/09/unos_21_policias_heridos_en_ataque_a_sede_regional_de_mader_de_dios_/nid_130289.html

# Whatever says :
9 July, 2008 [ 21:40 ]

meaningful projects CapitanDan?
you mean like on the Bush's war on Drugs?
and the building of the U.S. Base?
or the stupid raids to protect U.S companies for bootlegs DVDs and CDs?


Funny how Garcia always has money for doing
Bush's dirty work and for big business but when
it comes to the poor he just waves his arms
in the air and just pretends he cares....

# CapitanDan says :
9 July, 2008 [ 22:04 ]

Whatever, I can speak for myself. If you follow these topics, you will see I am against any type of base by any foreign power including the U.S.. As for the war on Drugs, I am proud to say I participated in it. Drugs know no nationality or loyalty. The monies accrued from these illegal activities fuel the corruption of Legally elected governments.It enslaves millions of people all over the world. Projects I would like to see is the reclaiming of the deserts to feed the masses. I could go on and on friend but no one listens. Chau

# does not matter says :
9 July, 2008 [ 22:45 ]

Ok, about 10 o clock police came and scared everyone off with teargasbombs. They took control of the city again, everybody went home, police is patroling the streets now to send the last ones home as well...

# Splaktar says :
10 July, 2008 [ 00:44 ]

Scary stuff in Puerto Maldonado.  I know a few LIP members were looking at traveling there soon.  I hope they are OK.

Glad to say that things have been mostly calm, but closed and quiet today in Arequipa.  Businesses of all types are loosing lots of money (transportation, tourism, restaurant, shopping, etc), but at least no one is dying.

I don't think this has accomplished anything other than a major loss of money to the economy and the temporary imprisonment of hundreds of criminals.  The poor just make themselves more poor.

# Devilmaycare says :
10 July, 2008 [ 10:02 ]

Sad and useless!! Blocking streets, stealing and burning buildings this is how the world will see Peru and its people. The actions of a few are going to hurt so many in the long run. Peru is a beautiful country with a caring compassionate people but these few who don't want anything but to use the problems of Peru as an excuse to rob and destroy things will give to the world that image of Peru. All the news reports around the world will show the riots, the burning buildings and the looting in their broadcasts. Againg I say Sad!!!

# drc says :
10 July, 2008 [ 10:14 ]

whatever, you are so full of crap.  Either you are ignorant or soldier of the discredited leftist bunch of Castro & Vasquez, which still would render you ignorant and stupid.

# Rachael says :
12 July, 2008 [ 10:57 ]

Well I didn’t even notice anything was going on. I was staying on the reed islands in Lake Titicaca, very tranquil. Globalization is killing the tranquility here. Maybe the people just want it to slow down a little so they can breathe. :)

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