Pics: Violent Gen-Z Led Protests In Peru Target President Boluarte's Government

President Boluarte's administration faces mounting public discontent, with her approval ratings collapsing as her presidency continues until July 2026.

On Sunday, hundreds of protesters returned to the streets of Lima following violent confrontations that left at least 18 individuals injured, including law enforcement officers and media personnel.

The "Generation Z" movement organized another demonstration marching toward downtown Lima's presidential headquarters, where significant police forces had been stationed in anticipation.

Societal unrest has been escalating across Peru for months, driven by increasing organized crime and extortion cases. Multiple surveys indicate widespread perception of corruption within both the government and the conservative-dominated Congress.

Demonstrations intensified this week after lawmakers passed legislation mandating young adults to participate in private pension funds, despite many facing precarious employment conditions.

As darkness descended Sunday evening, some demonstrators hurled stones and Molotov cocktails toward police lines, with authorities responding by deploying tear gas to disperse crowds.

"I feel completely outraged and deceived by this administration... and this Congress serving political parties," said 28-year-old Xiomi Aguilar, describing the parties as "a mafia embedded within the state."

Jonatan Esquen, an 18-year-old student, described the protests as "the beginning of an awakening, as society finally recognizes that young people are increasingly engaged on social media and in political discourse."

Saturday's confrontations near government buildings represented some of Peru's most violent demonstrations this year.

According to official and independent organization tallies released Sunday, at least 18 individuals sustained injuries, including police officers and journalists.

Among the 12 injured police officers were "a female officer with serious injuries and another officer diagnosed with multiple contusions... both remaining under medical observation," according to an official police statement.

Authorities have yet to release comprehensive figures regarding injuries or arrests connected to the weekend demonstrations.

Police reported approximately 450 protesters participated in Saturday's confrontations, which also resulted in public infrastructure damage.

Social media platforms circulated images showing protesters injured by projectiles allegedly fired by police forces.

Peru's National Association of Journalists (ANP) reported six journalists were struck by police-fired pellets while covering the demonstrations, including two reporters from Exitosa Noticias radio.

Cesar Zamalloa, a photojournalist with weekly publication Hildebrandt En Sus Trece, stated that police "began firing pellets... directly at people's bodies."

"That's when I felt impacts on my leg and hip," he recounted, according to testimony collected in an ANP statement published on Facebook Sunday.

Both the journalists' union and Peru's National Human Rights Coordinator condemned police tactics during the protests.

Boluarte's approval ratings have dramatically declined, with her presidential term scheduled to conclude in July 2026.

According to a survey of 1,200 respondents published Sunday by El Comercio newspaper, nearly 80 percent of Peruvians express shame regarding their government, while 85 percent report similar sentiments about Congress.