SW News: The country's Catholic bishops have volunteered to mediate between both parties amid the escalating political and social tensions following another weekend of violence in the capital Lima.

The brutal political and social conflict in our nation, which has claimed more than 50 lives, is something that the bishops "watch with profound sadness," according to Archbishop Miguel Cabrejos, president of the Peruvian Bishops' Conference, in a tweet from January 20. "We must modify our direction decisively in order to achieve peace," he declared.

Early in December, after the previous president Pedro Castillo was removed from office, protests broke out in Peru. They swiftly turned into widespread anarchy, with demonstrators calling for the resignation of current President Dina Boluarte, the closing of Congress, and new elections.

Castillo sought to close congress and rule by decree on December 7; but Boluarte, who had previously been Castillo's vice president, took over. Due to persistent protests, she recently declared a state of emergency in Lima and three additional regions.

The bishops expressed remorse for the violence that had been unleashed because violence only leads to greater violence in a statement that was released on Jan. 20 following the conclusion of the conference.

They declared that "the pain of all the wounded, civilians and police, as well as the loss of more than 50 of our Peruvian brothers, is a profound wound in the heart of our nation," and they demanded that right away, a course correction be made.

Thursday saw a sizable march in Lima in which thousands of people from all around the nation gathered. Once more, protesters demanded the resignation of Boluarte, and the predictable altercations with the police included stone-throwing and the use of tear gas.

In a late-night televised speech, Boluarte claimed that police had the demonstrations under control and issued a warning that anyone who engaged in violence would face consequences. He also claimed that the march was everything but peaceful. During his Sunday Angelus address, Pope Francis himself called for peace in Peru, urging followers to pray for an end to the bloodshed since "violence extinguishes the possibility of a reasonable solution to the problems."