A situation of calm but also uncertainty was experienced in the early hours of Thursday in Puno, Arequipa, Tacna, and other regions in the face of the mobilizations and strikes called for the upcoming hours.
Traffic is restricted not only in urban areas but also for the people trying to enter or leave regions that face difficulties —especially for the supply of gas and fuel.
Puno
In Puno, market vendors decided to serve customers, but only by selling them basic goods in order to supply families with food. The stalls for other items are closed.
According to a live report via TVPeru, trading would end at 10:00 a.m. or 11:00 a.m. Then, the owners of those stalls would join the mobilizations scheduled for today.
Public transportation bus services remain suspended. Only taxis and private vehicles circulate, while the entrances and exits for inter-provincial traffic are closed due to road blockades.
Tacna
In Tacna, the situation is calm right now following Wednesday's events. However, mobilizations are expected to resume this morning on the second day of strike.
Only taxis and private vehicles circulate, while buses —and public transportation vehicles in general— are not seen on the streets at this moment.
Meanwhile, members of the National Police and the Armed Forces are deployed at strategic points in the southern city, such as the Plaza Vea supermarket. They are being guarded to prevent violent acts and looting by protesters, such as those that occurred yesterday.
Other shopping centers —and stores in general— are closed due to the announcements of new demonstrations. Customers were served at markets until 9:00 a.m. for the supply of basic goods.
The TVPeru correspondent said the police have indicated that demonstrations can be held but in a peaceful manner. They have also called on citizens not to start violent acts.
It was indicated that pickets have already been called in the districts of Ciudad Nueva and Gregorio Albarracín, as well as at Ovalo Tarapacá (Tarapaca Roundabout) in Downtown Tacna.
Arequipa
Traffic has been restored in Arequipa following the unblocking of the road at kilometer 48 in La Joya. Therefore, gas-transporting trucks have been allowed to enter the White City so as to avoid shortage.
The unblocking of the road occurred following conversations and actions adopted by the National Police and the Air Force. Thus, stranded vehicles started to circulate on Wednesday at 9:00 p.m. —after the agreed truce.
Meanwhile, in the city, although public transportation services run as usual, markets —such as the Andres Avelino Caceres Platform, San Camilo, and Río Seco— had announced that they will be closed today and join the strike.
The exits and entrances from the northern area of Arequipa to Puno and Cusco are blocked. Thus, there is no communication via land with said regions.
Demonstrations will continue today. Therefore, law enforcement agents are duly deployed and on alert, especially in La Joya, in order to prevent the road from being blocked once again.
Madre de Dios
Following the confrontation events on Puente Billinghurst (Billinghurst Bridge) in Puerto Maldonado, this road remains blocked.
According to a report by TV Peru, the number of protesters has increased on Thursday morning.
This is the fourth day since the steel bridge —the largest in Peru— has been taken over, and new confrontations are feared today since Peace March promoters have called for another mobilization scheduled for today.
Clashes, involving sticks and stones between the two groups, have left a large number of people injured.