Castillo, 53, was embroiled in multiple corruption investigations and went through five Cabinets and over 80 ministers in just 17 months. His approval rating steadily declined over the course of his administration.

The unrest is also fueled by longstanding grievances about high poverty levels and discrimination felt by many in Peru’s Andean and Amazonian regions. The mountainous south is rich in copper but many say those mining riches pass local communities by.

There is also a deep distrust of Lima politicians after years of mismanagement and infighting. Congress, seen as corrupt and self-serving,