Peru's President Dina Boluarte has refused to resign despite weeks of anti-government protests shaking the deeply divided country, the BBC reports.

"I will not resign. My commitment is with Peru," she said in a live televised address on Friday night.

Violent clashes in recent weeks have left dozens dead and dozens injured.

Boluarte also said she regretted the deaths during the clashes with security forces, but she insisted she would continue to serve as leader.

The violence was triggered by the arrest of former President Pedro Castillo in December, after he tried to suspend Congress by losing an impeachment vote.

Castillo's supporters demanded new elections and called for Boluarte's ouster.

But the president rejected the possibility of calling a constitutional convention, as the protesters demanded, saying it could not happen overnight.

She accused the radical factions of creating chaos, disorder, and destruction and of driving the country to a dead end.

On Friday, several members of the government resigned, including the interior minister. After a New Year's lull, the country has seen its tenth consecutive day of clashes.

Earlier this week, Peru's prosecutor began a preliminary investigation into genocide charges brought against Boluarte in connection with the deaths of demonstrators during the riots.

The head of U.S. diplomacy in Latin America, Brian Nichols, wrote on Twitter that Washington was "deeply concerned about ongoing violence in Peru and saddened by the injuries and deaths".