Seven dead as Peru‍‍`s new leader fails to quell protests

On Monday, five more protesters died in Peru as violent demonstrations over the ousting of the former president showed no sign of dying down, despite his successor‍‍`s efforts to quell the unrest, reports AFP.

Seven people, including three teenagers, have now died in escalating protests since the leftist Pedro Castillo was accused of an attempted coup, impeached and arrested last week.

New President Dina Boluarte tried to ease tensions on Sunday, announcing she would seek to hold elections two years early and declaring a state of emergency in flashpoint areas.

On Monday, some 2,000 protesters smashed runway lighting, burned security booths and forced the closure of the airport in Peru‍‍`s second-largest city Arequipa for several hoursbefore police dispersed them with tear gas. The clashes left one dead, while another four people died as riot police quashed protests in Ms. Boluarte‍‍`s southeastern home region of Apurimac – where two other protesters died in clashes with security forces during an attempt to storm an airport on Sunday.