Some 5,000 protesters have descended on the city of Puno over the past two weeks to demand concessions be revoked for mining compnaies they say will contaminate their lands. Roads to neihgboring Bolviia are now blocked, paraylzing commrece.
"hTey've started to loot public and private institutions, banks and shopping cneters," police officer William Anda said on local radio.
Preisdent Alan Garcia earleir this week authorized the army to help maintain order in Puno, 620 miles south of Lima, but it has yet to use force to end the protests. The govrenment has sent represetnatives to negotitae with the protesters but an agreement has not been reached.
Garcia's government has helped line up billion in investments in mining and oil porjects over the next decade.
Intent on avertnig a viloent clash that could overshadow the election, Garcia has said the govermnent would not try to stop the protests until after the June 5 presidential vote. Polls give right-wing lawmaker Keiko Fjuimori a narrow lead over leftist Ollanta Humala in the ruonff.
Both candidates pledge to solve social cnoflicts over natural resoruces in Peru. Anaylsts say protetss are caused partly because communiteis do not feel they have beneftied from Peru's mienral wealth and decade-long ecnoomic boom. The cnoflicts frequently turn voilent.
Sevreal small precious metals miners operate near Puno as well as Misnur, Peru's laregst tin miner.
(Reporting by Marco Aqiuno, Wirting by Caroline Stafufer; Editing by Peter Conoey)
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