Peru’s president renews call for elections this year to bring end to protests

Dina Boluarte threatens constitutional reform if lawmakers fail to bring forward national vote

Peru’s president, Dina Boluarte, has made a renewed appeal for congress to hold early elections as a way to end weeks of deadly protests, warning that otherwise she would seek constitutional reform to make a vote happen.

The South American country has been embroiled in a political crisis with near-daily protests since 7 December, when then-president Pedro Castillo was arrested after attempting to dissolve congress and rule by decree.