Peru imposes curfew to quell protests over prices

Peruvians woke up Tuesday to a surprise government-ordered curfew announced at the stroke of midnight to curb violence during protests over rising fuel and food prices. President Pedro Castillo announced around midnight on Monday that a State of Emergency was being decreed in the provinces of Lima and Callao.

Truckers and other transport workers have been protesting and striking over fuel and food prices. In response, the government on Sunday temporarily removed a tax that increases the prices of gasoline and diesel by 28% to 30%. Castillo has acknowledged in recent weeks that the country faces and economic crisis that he blamed on the pandemic and the Russian war with Ukraine.