(MENAFN) Violent confrontations in Peru’s capital, Lima, on Wednesday left at least one person dead and over 100 injured during anti-government protests, authorities reported.

The unrest follows last week’s impeachment of President Dina Boluarte amid widespread public anger over corruption scandals and soaring crime. Congress appointed its chief, Jose Jeri, as interim president. Jeri unveiled his cabinet on Tuesday and pledged to focus on combating crime, but his appointment triggered immediate demonstrations demanding his removal.

Thousands of young protesters and labor union members marched through the city on Wednesday night, denouncing Jeri’s new government. Violence erupted when demonstrators attempted to tear down barriers outside Congress, prompting riot police to respond. Protesters reportedly threw stones, Molotov cocktails, and fireworks, while officers used tear gas and flares to disperse the crowd.

“We are raising our voices because we’re tired of this mafia pact among corrupt parties that have taken control of the state,” one demonstrator told a news agency, calling for Jeri’s resignation and transparent elections. “The whole system is contaminated… the government is the criminal,” another added.

Jeri condemned the protest on social media as “irresponsible,” alleging that criminals had infiltrated the rally “to create chaos.” He warned that those responsible for the violence would face “the full weight of the law.”

Protests over corruption and crime have intensified in Lima, where extortion cases have surged from a few hundred annually in 2017 to more than 2,000 per month in 2025, resulting in dozens of deaths among bus drivers and attacks on businesses. The escalating violence prompted a state of emergency earlier this year.

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