Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.
Gentlemen, His Excellency the Ambassador, thank you for being with us this morning.
As you can imagine, we're concerned about the situation currently unfolding in Peru, and it's of great concern to us for a number of reasons.
Canada and Peru are part of the Organization of American States. Quebec, whose official and common language is French, is part of Latin America.
Canada provided nearly $31 million in aid to Peru in 2020–21. This support was intended, among other things, to improve accountability, transparency and efficiency in the delivery of government services.
The focus is also on “promoting a vibrant civil society and the protection of human rights, including indigenous populations, by advancing gender equality and women's and girls' rights, including sexual and reproductive health and rights”.
On January 27, the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights condemned the violence used to disperse protesters at the facilities of the National University of San Marcos in Lima a week earlier.
The Inter-American Commission on Human Rights also noted that Peru's national police raided the university using multipurpose armoured vehicles and arrested 193 people, including a pregnant woman, several children, indigenous people, elderly people, students and four journalists, who were later released. As reported, 59 people unfortunately lost their lives in the course of these violent events.
We're concerned about what is happening in your country.
Is there anything that Peru wants from Canada to resolve the current situation in Peru?