Peru ministers visit protest zone as families bury their dead

Relatives and friends carry the coffin with the body of Leonardo Hancco Chacca, 32, who was killed in a clash between security forces and protesters, during his funeral along the streets in Ayacucho, Peru December 18, 2022. The sign reads "Dina Boluarte murderer". REUTERS/Miguel Gutierrez Chero

ICA, Peru (Reuters) -Peru's newly installed President Dina Boluarte sent three ministers to Ica, one of the regions at the heart of recent protests on Monday, in an effort to placate public anger as families in nearby Ayacucho held funerals and mourned for the people killed in the unrest over the last fortnight.

The Andean country has been torn apart by protests since the Dec. 7 ouster and arrest of former leftist leader Pedro Castillo, hours after he tried to dissolve Congress to avoid an impeachment vote. At least 20 people have died - including many teenagers - with around half being from Ayacucho, the largely rural, impoverished and indigenous communities in the country's south.