Opposition protesters today set fire to the Prefecture of the central Andean Peruvian region of Huancavelica, during a rally held as part of a national day of social protests against the government.
The incident occurred during a rally, at the end of a march like those held in Lima, the country’s capital, and cities of the coast, the Andes and the Amazon.
A group of residents set fire to the wooden door of the official headquarters as an expression of repudiation to the regional prefect, Misael Menendez, before which the police dispersed the demonstration by throwing tear gas and the fire, which left the door scorched, was extinguished.
After the incident, the Police allowed the resumption of the rally, in which, besides repudiating the president and demanding early general elections, they ratified their rejection of the prefect (representative of the central government).
Menendez’s appointment, last February, was rejected by the People’s Defense Front of Huancavelica, which called for a protest against Boluarte in Huancavelica.
The leader of the mentioned organization, Wilfredo Hilario, said that the population does not recognize Menendez as (prefect) representative of the Government and pointed out that to accept him would be to legitimize the president.
Other regions also refuse to recognize the prefects appointed by the Executive, such as Puno, bastion of the protests against President Boluarte carried out between December 2022 and March 2023.
The designation of Gilmer Sardón, last June, as oprefect of Puno, has been rejected in popular marches and the organizations refuse to recognize them.
The sub-prefects appointed or to be appointed for the provincial level are not recognized either and the few appointed do not assume their positions, while at the district level none has been recognized, while in smaller localities, lieutenant governors are traditionally appointed by the inhabitants
