Troops act after Peruvian leader orders state of emergency

Peru's armed forces on Wednesday tore down barricades of rocks and burning tires that had blocked 35 major roads after President Alejandro Toldeo declared a state of emergency to counter spreading labor unrest.

Peru in State of Siege, Military Sweeps, Protests

Peruvian soldiers forced protesters off city streets and cleared blocked highways on Wednesday following President Alejandro Toledo's declaration of a state of siege in hopes of curbing crippling strikes. Late on Tuesday, Toledo -- whose two years in office have been marked by protests and a declining approval rating that now stands at 14 percent -- declared a 30-day state of emergency from the northern jungle to southern Andean plains.