Spanish
Nepal's Prime Minister, K.P. Sharma Oli, presented his resignation this Tuesday following a 24-hour youth uprising that has led to the collapse of his government, a revolt that has claimed the lives of at least 19 people in the bloodiest repression in the country's recent democratic history.
However, Oli's resignation has not calmed the situation in the streets, and protests have continued in the capital even after the news was announced.
The spark of the protests was the ban of 26 social media platforms, including Facebook, YouTube, and X, for not complying with a new local law. Oli defended the measure by stating that "the nation's independence is more important than the loss of jobs".
However, for young Nepalis, the decision was an attack on their freedom of expression, communication, and their small businesses.
The underlying fuel was frustration with endemic corruption. In the preceding weeks, viral TikTok videos contrasted the luxurious lifestyles of politicians' children with the hardships of the average Nepali.
Street protests began on Monday, when thousands of young people demonstrated in the capital. After the breaking of several police barricades, the authorities' response escalated from the use of water cannons and tear gas to firing with live ammunition.
The uprising spread throughout the country, leaving a toll of at least 19 dead and more than 347 injured, according to hospital data collected by EFE. The number of deaths in a single day is higher than the victims recorded in the democratic movements of Nepal in 1990 and 2006.
The government revoked the ban on social media, but the violence continued. Crowds defied curfews and set fire to Oli's private residence, as well as attacking the homes of other ministers and opposition leaders.
As a result of the disturbances, air traffic was paralyzed. The general manager of Kathmandu airport, Hansa Raj Pandey, confirmed to EFE the suspension of international and domestic flights for security reasons.
The cabinet crisis worsened with the resignation of the ministers of Interior, Agriculture, and Health. To this was added the abandonment of the coalition by 21 deputies of the Rastriya Swatantra Party. Simultaneously, the opposition demanded the resignation of Oli, whom they considered "morally responsible" for the deaths.
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The United Nations and Amnesty International have condemned the repression and are demanding an independent investigation. The resignation ends Oli's fourth term, one of the most dominant and controversial figures in Nepali politics. A veteran politician forged in the fight against the monarchy, for which he spent fourteen years in prison, Oli became known for his confrontational style and his ability to survive constant parliamentary crises, although it was ultimately an uprising in the streets that forced his downfall.
