The San Román Health Network reported that due to the clashes that occurred this Saturday between protesters and police officers in Juliaca, Puno region, they have been treating 15 injured at the Carlos Monge Medrano Hospital.
In a statement, he indicated that the age of the injured ranges between 19 and 66 years. Three of them have gunshot wounds.
“The staff of the 47 health establishments and the Carlos Monge Medrano Hospital in Juliaca are on high alert to provide timely care to the population,” he said.
On the eve, the San Román Health Network It also reported 16 injuries (4 police officers and 12 civilians) as a consequence of the social demonstrations. in the vicinity of the Inca Manco Cápac airport in Juliaca. The protesters are calling for the resignation of President Dina Boluarte, the closure of Congress, the advancement of general elections and the calling of a Constituent Assembly.
Among those affected, one is in critical condition in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with a diagnosis of hypovolemic shock, fracture of the sacrum and ileum due to FAP (firearm projectile).
Photojournalist wounded with buckshot
On the other hand, the National Association of Journalists (ANP) informed that the photojournalist of the Agency EFE, Aldair Mejiareceived a projectile in the leg during the coverage of protests in the city of Juliaca, in the Puno region.
Through its Twitter account, the ANP demanded that the authorities identify and punish those responsible. In accordance with EFEthe projectile was thrown by the police.
Hours before, the journalistic union denounced that Mejía had suffered attacks by the police when he was covering the protest demonstrations in the vicinity of the Juliaca airport.
“They wanted to break his credentials and one threatened him ‘if you do that once more, I’ll blow your head off and you’ll leave dead here,'” he detailed in another publication.
Own Aldair Mejia confirmed the facts in a video published by the Press and Society Institute (IPYS) on its Twitter account.
They ask for a sanction for “police excess”
According to the Agency EFE, Aldair Mejia he was hit with a shield by police agents “and they tried to snatch his press credentials, when he was moving around the place and some uniformed men chased him.”
In turn, the Association of Foreign Press in Peru (APEP) considered “inadmissible” that visibly identified journalists “have been attacked and threatened with death” for carrying out their reporting task during the demonstrations in Juliaca.
In a statement, he specified that Aldair Mejía was injured following receiving the impact of a pellet in the leg. Given the fact, he was taken to a hospital for his evaluation. “We may be a privileged and uncomfortable witness, but we fulfill a moral duty to society,” he remarked.
Likewise, he asked the Peruvian authorities to sanction “any police excess”, as well as to investigate attacks by protesters once morest journalists from local media.