Protesters from Peru’s self-styled Generation Z movement clashed with police in Lima, the country’s capital, on Wednesday (28), demanding the resignation of interim president José Jeri over an alleged corruption scandal and his dropped rape charge.
The scandal, dubbed “Chifagate” by the local media, began after Jeri’s undisclosed meetings with Chinese businessman Zhihua Yang, between December and January.
Jeri, who took office in October after , denied any wrongdoing in the three meetings he admitted to having had with Zhihua.
Jeri also denied the rape accusation, which ended up being dropped by the attorney general due to lack of evidence.
Six motions of censure and one vacancy motion were filed against him in Congress in relation to the Chifagate case.
Family members of victims killed during the 2022–2023 social protests in Juliaca, Ayacucho and Apurímac, under the government of former president Dina Boluarte, also participated in the protests with the Generation Z movement, demanding justice for their loved ones.
They demonstrated against Boluarte’s rise to power and demanded the reactivation of the special team of prosecutors for cases of protest victims, which had been disbanded on January 7 by acting attorney general Tomás Gálvez Villegas.
