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In a first, Peruvian with Down syndrome runs for parliament
Franklin BriceÑo, Associated Press
Updated 6:07 pm CST, Wednesday, December 18, 2019
LIMA, Peru (AP) — Bryan Russell has Down syndrome and does daily speech exercises, putting pens and corks in his mouth to help build up low muscle tone there. He is also waging a longshot bid to become a national Peruvian lawmaker, going door to door in Lima to ask for votes.
Russell, 27, wants to use his campaign to raise awareness about people with developmental disabilities and he says he represents an alternative to the scourge of corruption in Peru that has brought down presidents and weakened democratic institutions.
“I'm someone clean, honest, transparent,” Russell said in an interview with The Associated Press. He spoke while sitting next to Amor, a pet dog he rescued from the street.
. . .
Russell is a candidate for Peru-Nacion, a center-right party that is not widely known and has fared poorly in past elections. However, Russell's bold campaign ahead of the Jan. 26 parliamentary elections is getting attention. He was invited to speak at a leftist forum where he asked people to fight for people like him, regardless of political leanings.
More:
https://www.chron.com/news/world/article/In-a-first-Peruvian-with-Down-syndrome-runs-for-14916453.php
