Students at the National University of San Marcos (UNMSM) ended their occupation of the university campus after a dialogue committee was established and an agreement was signed to end the protest, meaning that in-person classes and academic activities will resume on Thursday, the 28th.
The agreements reached stipulate that the university will publish its rejection of Bill 12736, which allows for the reelection of university officials, and will submit this to the Congress of the Republic (the students’ main demand). Additionally, regarding the request for the term limits of the university’s top officials, this will be debated in the University Assembly before July 26, 2026.
It was also agreed that the representative of the San Marcos University Federation (FUSM) will participate with voting rights in the sessions of the University Assembly, the University Council, and its committees for the duration of the legal proceedings involving the federation. Furthermore, no administrative proceedings will be taken against the students involved in the occupation.
The dialogue table was composed of Rector Jerí Ramón, the academic vice-rector, the representative of the university deans, three representatives from the Ombudsman’s Office, and three student representatives, who held the meeting at the San Marcos Cultural Center, better known as La Casona.
The occupation of the San Marcos University campus began on May 12 and will end at noon on May 27. University students accuse the current administration of seeking to amend internal statutes and regulations to facilitate re-election and ensure the continuity of a political group; they also reported irregularities in previous electoral processes, the exclusion of opposition slates, and a lack of transparency, as well as the authorities’ inaction in response to student demands.
Currently, in addition to San Marcos, other universities are also in the midst of protests: at the National University of Ucayali (Ucayali), students are peacefully protesting for new leadership and over allegations of irregularities in university administration, and at La Cantuta University (Lima), students have taken over part of the campus, denouncing the improper appropriation of the university residence hall.
