A new social overflow shakes Peru, on the eve of the second round of presidential elections on 5 June. The population of the highland region of Puno, on the border with Bolivia, has been mobilized in large numbers to demand that the government of Alan García to declare their land free of mining and, specifically, to repeal a bill by allowing the operation to Santa Ana mine after 20 days of protests, over 10,000 people, mostly ethnic Aymara, have taken the city of Puno, blocked the main roads in the region, businesses looted and burned vehicles.
They have also closed the border traffic, which, according to the Bolivian press, and have caused losses of some $ 40 million in the neighboring country. Violence has been growing with each passing day and on Thursday reached its peak, with groups of protesters attacking people lashes that were added to the protests in the streets and attacking journalists covering the disturbances .
Several public buildings have been vandalized, including the prosecutor, the superintendent of taxation and the Comptroller General of the Republic, where they stole several computers and destroyed documents, and against his will retain 14 workers. Were also looted several shops and private offices, including Telefonica del Peru.
With negotiations broken after the commission sent by the Government failed to reach an agreement with the protesters after a long meeting in the city of Juliaca (located 45 kilometers from Puno), Walter Anduviri leader, a leader of the Front Defence of Natural Resources of the Southern Zone, said that if the government does not agree to their demands, will not allow conduct elections in the region, which in the first round voted overwhelmingly for the nationalist Ollanta Humala.
The government so far has moved cautiously to avoid a bloodbath on the eve of a crucial election. President Alan Garcia has declared that it is "a very clear electoral whiff" in the protest and would wait until after the election to revisit the situation. "What they are looking for some bad people is to have any casualties, some dead or more dead, and so generate a state election on Sunday 5.
Let's be patient," the president said. Although it has authorized the entry of army troops to the area, these have only been limited to protecting key installations. The area authorities, meanwhile, have said they are afraid of being put to death by the people, so they remain outside of the protests.
With each passing day, more people come to town in the remote areas of the region, and further complicated the status of various populations have been isolated by the pickets and already suffering food shortages. Tourism, one of the most important sectors of the economy Puno, also accused the coup, the cancellation of travel, which has already caused losses of more than 20 million euros, according to the National Chamber of Tourism.
The Government has stated that the claim of the Puna population will be difficult to meet. The deputy minister of mines, Fernando Gala said it is not feasible to cancel the mining and oil concessions in the region, because it would affect the legal security in the country. "" We have explained the impossibility of these requests, we have given alternative proposals and that in practice solve the problem, but their position is very intransigent, have not budged an inch of their claims, "said the official, who has invited leaders of the protest to continue the dialogue, but in Lima.
"Puno and Juliaca, and there are no conditions," he said. 
They have also closed the border traffic, which, according to the Bolivian press, and have caused losses of some $ 40 million in the neighboring country. Violence has been growing with each passing day and on Thursday reached its peak, with groups of protesters attacking people lashes that were added to the protests in the streets and attacking journalists covering the disturbances .
Several public buildings have been vandalized, including the prosecutor, the superintendent of taxation and the Comptroller General of the Republic, where they stole several computers and destroyed documents, and against his will retain 14 workers. Were also looted several shops and private offices, including Telefonica del Peru.
With negotiations broken after the commission sent by the Government failed to reach an agreement with the protesters after a long meeting in the city of Juliaca (located 45 kilometers from Puno), Walter Anduviri leader, a leader of the Front Defence of Natural Resources of the Southern Zone, said that if the government does not agree to their demands, will not allow conduct elections in the region, which in the first round voted overwhelmingly for the nationalist Ollanta Humala.
The government so far has moved cautiously to avoid a bloodbath on the eve of a crucial election. President Alan Garcia has declared that it is "a very clear electoral whiff" in the protest and would wait until after the election to revisit the situation. "What they are looking for some bad people is to have any casualties, some dead or more dead, and so generate a state election on Sunday 5.
Let's be patient," the president said. Although it has authorized the entry of army troops to the area, these have only been limited to protecting key installations. The area authorities, meanwhile, have said they are afraid of being put to death by the people, so they remain outside of the protests.
With each passing day, more people come to town in the remote areas of the region, and further complicated the status of various populations have been isolated by the pickets and already suffering food shortages. Tourism, one of the most important sectors of the economy Puno, also accused the coup, the cancellation of travel, which has already caused losses of more than 20 million euros, according to the National Chamber of Tourism.
The Government has stated that the claim of the Puna population will be difficult to meet. The deputy minister of mines, Fernando Gala said it is not feasible to cancel the mining and oil concessions in the region, because it would affect the legal security in the country. "" We have explained the impossibility of these requests, we have given alternative proposals and that in practice solve the problem, but their position is very intransigent, have not budged an inch of their claims, "said the official, who has invited leaders of the protest to continue the dialogue, but in Lima.
"Puno and Juliaca, and there are no conditions," he said.
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