During the anti-government protests that took place between December 2022 and February 2023, at least 67 people lost their lives. The Association of Victims of the Peruvian Department of Ayacucho has expressed its rejection of the presence of the head of state, Dina Boluarte, in that region, as they consider that she has not offered apologies for the ten people who died as a result of police repression during the demonstrations.
According to the local press, the association’s vice president, Yovana Mendoza, stated that Boluarte’s visit to Ayacucho was disappointing and offensive to the victims and the population in general. Mendoza affirmed that the presence of the president in the place where the events took place, where murders and a massacre took place, is a provocation. He also mentioned that Boluarte has not had the courtesy to apologize or ask for forgiveness so far.
Boluarte made a working visit to the town of Sachabamba in Ayacucho but did not mention anything about the victims of police repression. Mendoza criticized the president’s strategy of trying to win over the population with gifts and promises of property titles, claiming that the government paid people to give her a “welcome” in Sachabamba.
It should be noted that Boluarte is under preliminary investigation by the Peruvian Public Prosecutor’s Office for alleged genocide, aggravated homicide, and serious injuries. The president has denied being responsible for the state repression, arguing that she has no direct control over the security forces and that they are the ones who make the decisions.
The situation in Ayacucho has generated tension and discontent on the part of the victims and their families, as well as the general population. The lack of apologies and the perception of an inadequate response by the authorities have contributed to indignation and a lack of confidence in the government.