"Peru is no longer a democracy"

In this issue, I focused on the Indigenous-led anti-government protests in Peru and the fight for sexual and reproductive health and rights of women in Zimbabwe. You'll also hear about a 32-year-old lawmaker in Afghanistan who was killed, that the president of Vietnam resigned, Brazil said no to "anti-abortion", a supergood data journalism piece about lipstick waste from Indonesia, my current favorite drama series from Egypt, and so much more.

At least 50 people have died in anti-government protests in Peru -- 'This is no longer a democracy'

Refresher:
The protests began last month. Congress removed former President Pedro Castillo. He was then arrested and sentenced to 18 months in pre-trial detention for trying to dissolve Congress ahead of a planned impeachment vote. Castillo's vice president, Dina Boluarte, became Peru's sixth president in five years. Many people in the (long marginalized and Indigenous) rural southern parts of Peru took to the streets to protest against this decision (Castillo, a socialist, was very popular here) and to call for Boluarte to step down and Congress to dissolve. The protests have grown bigger since, and people in the country's capital Lima and other cities have also joined. And: At least 50 people have died during the protests so far.

This week, the government of Peru has declared another 'state of emergency' in Lima and three other regions.

Wait, what's a 'state of emergency'?
When a government declares a 'state of emergency', it is able to put through policies that it would normally not be permitted to do, for the safety and protection of its citizens. The last time it did so, on December 14, it removed some constitutional protections from citizens. (AP)

Why this matters:
Peru, a nation of 33 million people, the fifth largest in Latin America, returned to democracy just two decades ago, following the authoritarian rule of President Alberto Fujimori. The country's current system is still based on the Constitution written under Fujimori. These protests are the Andean country's worst outbreak of violence in over 20 years.

What do the protesters want exactly?
They have a lot of demands. Here are some: a new president, a new constitution, a new governing system altogether. (Diario Correo, La República, Spanish) People have blockaded highways and airports and set some buildings on fire. A protest anthem shouted in the streets: "This democracy is no longer a democracy." Many people, especially in the south, believe that 'democracy' has only helped a small elite become richer and richer with little to no benefit for many other Peruvians. Writer Santiago Roncagliolo wrote on Twitter, "Si el Estado mata a más de cuarenta personas, y nadie asume la responsabilidad, no esperes que lo llamen "democracia." (English: If the state kills more than 40 people, and nobody claims responsibility, don't expect them to call it democracy.)

• Dive deeper: Historian José Luis Rénique has written several books in Spanish, among them "La nación radical" and "La batalla por Puno", where he analyzes the country's southern region and its difficult relationship with the central and distant Lima. For La República, he also gave an interesting interview (in Spanish) about the current protests and their meaning.

How has the government of Boluarte reacted to the protestors?
Right-wing groups, the army and the Boluarte government say, 'they're terrorists! They use weapons and homemade explosives.' Security forces have responded with violence. Victims have included civilians who were not protesting. (Reuters) There are even reports of two massacres; the Ayacucho massacre and Juliaca massacre. (Ojo Público) Juliaca is a poorer city in the south. Last week, 19 people died at a protest. Eighteen of the dead were civilians shot by firearms, according to a local prosecutor. One police officer was found dead inside a police vehicle that had been set on fire. This has not happened in at least 20 years in Peru. (The New York Times)

What do other governments in Latin America say about all this?
The Presidents of Argentina, Bolivia, Colombia, Mexico are "deeply concerned" about the Peruvian Congress not respecting "the will of its citizens at the ballot box". They added that "it is no news" that Pedro Castillo, from the day of his election, "was the victim of anti-democratic harassment, in violation of Article 23 of the American Convention on Human Rights". (msn) Canada is supporting the Boluarte government. (CBC)

• Zoom out: A lot of people across Latin America have been losing trust in democracies over the last 20 years, according to the AmericasBarometer, a regional survey conducted by Vanderbilt University. It's super bad in Peru (only 21 percent say they are satisfied with their democracy) and Haiti. Colombia, Chile and Brazil follow.

What now?
Attorney General of Peru Patricia Benavides announced investigations last week for the alleged crimes of genocide, aggravated homicide and serious injuries against President Dina Boluarte, Prime Minister Alberto Otárola, Minister of the Interior Víctor Rojas and Minister of Defense Jorge Chávez. (La República) Few have high hopes for this investigation. Boluarte, in a speech to the nation on Friday, offered her condolences to the families of the dead and added, "I am not going to resign."

More and more women in Zimbabwe are suing hospitals to get better reproductive health services

Many women in Zimbabwe say they have experienced disrespect, negligence and abuse while seeking maternity services. And few have started to go to court to seek justice and accountability from the public health system.

Why this matters:
The sexual and reproductive health rights of people who can give birth are -- you guessed it --...