Americas press review

In the spotlight: Curfew in Peru after violent protests

Demonstration in the streets of Huaycan, on the outskirts of Lima, on April 4, 2022. The demonstrators demand a drop in fuel prices.

© AP/Martin Mejia

Text by: Achim Lippold Follow

4 mins

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In Peru, a curfew was introduced on Tuesday April 5 in the capital Lima and the neighboring port city of Callao.

The government is reacting in this way to the violent demonstrations by transporters, who are protesting against the increase in fuel prices.

It's on the front page of the press.

"

 Chaos and incapacity 

", headlines

El Comercio

, referring to the social situation and its management by President Pedro Castillo.

During a speech on television last night, Castillo wanted to ease tensions: “

 I call for calm and serenity.

Social protest is a constitutional right, but it must be done within the framework of the law, respecting the integrity of people, as well as public and private property. 

»

According to the newspaper

Peru 21

, this economic crisis which affects families' purses is the result of "

 the incompetence of a government which did not have the capacity to foresee this scenario and even less the reflex to respond with adequate strategies. to contain the rise in the prices of fuel, wheat, corn and sugar, an inflation which makes the shopping basket more expensive. 

»

The government's response, the increase in the minimum wage, is a measure considered populist

“ 

The government…does not have a realistic, forceful and responsible solution to rising food and energy prices in its toolbox 

,” writes

El Comercio

.

 Global logistical issues, massive cash injections in 2020, picking up demand as the economy reopens, and Russia's invasion of Ukraine, all of these factors have created a potent global inflationary cocktail never before seen. for four decades 

.

Faced with these challenges, the government opted “

 for the easy way out, with bombastic proposals that sound good, but do little to solve the problem 

”.

The Expresso

newspaper ,

for his part, criticizes President Pedro Castillo for minimizing the crisis.

The demonstrators continue their mobilization and their blockades of roads

Expresso collected the testimony of a truck driver who expressed his distress and his determination

 :

"

 Humble people are starving and they are sitting there earning a good salary, Castillo is eating well at the moment, he has promised us a lot things and he does nothing, he promised to lower the fuel and the price of the tolls.

The strike is unlimited, if they don't find a solution, we're not going to leave, or it would be even better if Castillo resigns

»

What if the war in Ukraine was the real First World War?

This is the question posed by

New York Times

columnist Thomas Friedmann.

"

 Nearly six weeks into the war between Russia and Ukraine, I'm beginning to wonder if this conflict isn't our first real world war - much more than World War I or World War II 

," writes he, before continuing: "

 In this war, which I consider to be a connected world war, practically everyone on the planet can either observe the fighting on the ground or participate in it in one way or another, or be affected economically – regardless of where he lives 

”.

And Friedmann cites an example of the instant messaging application Telegram, invented by two technician brothers of Russian origin as a communication tool beyond the reach of the Kremlin, which "

 has established itself as the place of reference for updates live and unfiltered, both for the Ukrainian refugees and for the increasingly isolated Russians 

.

The columnist concludes: "

 Putin, who has no idea of ​​the world in which he lives, by unleashing the war in Ukraine, did not anticipate that the whole planet is watching 24 hours a day what is happening there, and he never thought that Western democracies could fight together against him. 

»

In Brazil, the candidacy of former President Lula in the presidential election next October is becoming clearer

Officially, the ex-unionist has not yet entered the ring.

But in an interview with the magazine

Carta Capital

he already describes the first measures he intends to take once elected: among these, the elimination of 8,000 positions occupied by the military.

A week ago, Lula had strongly criticized the participation of soldiers in politics, a participation which has been considerably reinforced by the current far-right president.

And precisely, on the duel that is looming between Jair Bolsonaro and him, Lula wants to be cautious: "

 It will be a complicated election, it's a war that has not yet been won 

," said the one who remains for the moment. top of the polls.

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