After Nepal and Lima, Peru’s Gen Z takes to the streets, protests against Boluarte with anime-inspired symbols

Youth-led rallies return to Lima after pension reform backlash sparks wider anger. (Image credit: Reuters)

On Saturday, Peru’s streets are once again bracing for protest. Young Peruvians are rallying in Lima and beyond against President Dina Boluarte, just a week after demonstrations turned violent and left police officers, protesters and journalists injured.

The flashpoint was a controversial pension reform law requiring all citizens above 18 to join a pension provider. But the anger runs deeper, tied to long-simmering resentment against Boluarte and a Congress seen as out of touch.

'A simmering discontent'

“There's been a low, simmering level of discontent in Peru, and it's been that way for quite some time,” said Jo-Marie Burt, a visiting professor at Princeton University who has studied Peruvian politics for decades.

That discontent is layered: corruption scandals, economic insecurity, rising crime, and lingering outrage over the dozens killed by security forces when Boluarte assumed office in 2022 after President Pedro Castillo was ousted and jailed.

According to the Institute of Peruvian Studies, Boluarte’s approval rating has plunged to 2.5 percent, while Congress fares no better at just 3%.

Mining industry feels the shock

The protests aren’t just political; they’re hitting Peru’s economy. On Tuesday, Hudbay Minerals temporarily shut down its mill in Peru amid the unrest, according to a report by Reuters. The country is the world’s third-largest copper producer and also a major exporter of gold and silver. Continued instability could disrupt global supply chains.

Anime symbols and Gen Z’s defiance

What makes these protests distinct is who’s leading them, Peru’s Gen Z, nearly 27 percent of the population, according to official statistics cited by Reuters.

A striking symbol of the movement is a skull in a straw hat from the Japanese manga One Piece. Protester Leonardo Munoz explained to Reuters: “The main character, Luffy, travels from town to town freeing people from tyrannical, corrupt rulers. That’s what’s happening now in Peru.”

Student protester Santiago Zapata added: “We’re tired of this being normalised. Since when have we normalised death, since when have we normalised corruption? My generation is coming out to protest now because we’re tired of being silenced.”

A global Gen Z wave: From Nepal to Peru

Peru’s youth aren’t alone. Gen Z movements have been rising across the world, with recent demonstrations in Nepal over high unemployment, corruption, and restrictions on civic freedoms. Thousands of young Nepalis poured into Kathmandu streets, demanding reforms and accountability from their leaders.

Like in Peru, their protests drew energy from cultural references and digital organising, creating a sense of shared identity among young people who feel their futures have been stolen.

Echoes of Peru’s authoritarian past

Analysts who spoke to Reuters warn Peru’s unrest is about more than pensions or even Boluarte. Burt argues it reflects a wider democratic backsliding.

“It’s very reminiscent of what happened in the 1990s under Fujimori, when the justice system was captured to consolidate authoritarian control,” she said.

With elections due in 2026, critics worry about weakened courts and watchdogs. Yet, Burt notes that past protests in Peru have toppled presidents and prevented institutional capture. “Democratic forces, even when there’s almost total control, can mobilise and act in unexpected ways that can have a positive result. The opera is not over yet.”