C. Castillo was a primary school teacher who gained prominence as a leader in a teachers' strike in 2017. Last year, he won the presidency by defeating the daughter of jailed former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori. Castillo last week briefly suspended civil liberties amid violent protests over rising fuel, fertilizer and food costs.

Q: Castillo’s government also has been accused of corruption, and he faced two impeachment attempts in his eight months in office. Several former presidents of Peru were linked to a bribery scandal involving a company in South America’s largest nation . . .

A. Argentina

B. Brazil

C. Colombia

D. Venezuela

---

B. Peru’s eastern neighbor Brazil is South America’s largest nation by area, followed by Argentina, Peru and Colombia. Brazil’s Odebrecht construction company was accused of bribing presidents and other government officials in 12 nations over the last 20 years.

---

Q: What is the biggest reason for the sharp rise in fuel, fertilizer and food costs which triggered last week’s protests in Peru?

A. Corruption

B. Pandemic

C. Natural disaster

D. War

---

D. The war in Ukraine has led to recent big price jumps worldwide for fuel, fertilizer and food. But, Peru’s economy also has suffered from continued corruption, the COVID-19 pandemic and natural disasters like flooding.

---

Q: Peru’s economy has long been tied to exporting natural resources, beginning with Spain enslaving Native Americans in the 16th century to mine silver and gold. Which nation is Peru’s biggest trading partner now?

A. China

B. Spain

C. United States

D. Venezuela

---

A. China is the biggest buyer of Peru’s exports, which include copper, gold, refined petroleum, zinc, fishmeal, tropical fruits, lead, iron and molybdenum. Peru also imports more goods from China than it does from any other nation.

---