The leader of a protest by Amazon Indians in Peru, Alberto Pizango, has fled to the Nicaraguan embassy and is asking for political asylum. On Saturday, the Peruvian authorities issued a warrant for his arrest for being the driving force behind last weekend's violent protests in which over 30 people died.

In recent weeks, indigenous inhabitants of northeast Peru have been protesting against the oil and gas drilling in the region, demanding a greater share in the profits. In response to the protests, the authorities declared a state of emergency in and around the town of Bagua.