Dina Boluarte, formerly Peru's vice president, assumed the presidency after Castillo was impeached and arrested on December 7.
Peru's President Dina Boluarte has refused to step down in the face of violent protests over her predecessor's ouster as she called on lawmakers to bring forward elections as a way to quell unrest.
Boluarte, who has said she is leading a transitional government, urged the country's Congress to pass a proposal to bring forward general elections in a news conference from the presidential palace on Saturday.
"What is solved by my resignation? We will be here, firmly, until Congress determines to bring forward the elections," Boluarte said.
The remarks came a day after Peru's Congress rejected the proposed constitutional reform to move the elections, originally scheduled for 2026, forward to December 2023.
She called on lawmakers to reconsider their position, citing opinion polls that more than 80% of Peruvians want general elections — for both president and Congress — to stabilize the country.
“Don’t be blind,” Boluarte said in some of her strongest rhetoric since taking over from Castillo 10 days ago. “Look at the people and take action in line with what they are asking.”
READ MORE: Explained: Peru's political crisis
Crippling protests
Boluarte, formerly Peru's vice president, assumed the presidency after then-president Pedro Castillo was impeached and arrested on December 7 for attempting to dissolve Congress illegally. He is now in pre-trial detention, facing charges of rebellion and conspiracy.
Since Castillo's arrest, protests have broken out across the country, and at least 17 people have been killed. Another five have died of indirect consequences of the protests, according to authorities.
More than 500 demonstrators and security forces have also been reported injured.
The protests have crippled Peru's transport system, shuttering airports and blocking highways. Protesters have also blockaded Peru's borders, leaving tourists stranded and strangling trade.
On Wednesday, Boluarte's government announced a state of emergency, granting police special powers and limiting citizens' rights, including the right to assembly.
"We want the immediate closure of Congress; we want the resignation of Dina Boluarte," Rene Mendoza, a protester at the border with Bolivia, told Reuters.
The crisis has only deepened the instability gripping the country, which has seen six presidents in as many years.
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