Overthrow of President Castillo Exposes the Race and Class Divide in Peru

[Judi Lynn]

By Francesca Emanuele
December 25, 2022



Unfulfilled campaign promises, accusations of corruption, and even an attempted self-coup cannot turn the many supporters of Peruvian President Pedro Castillo against him. The president has probably ceased to represent hopes for change, but he still symbolizes —perhaps more now than ever— structural discrimination in Peru.

In Lima, the political, economic, and intellectual elites are intrigued. They wonder why the majority of Peruvians in the streets are demanding Castillo’s release. They are even more disconcerted by the minority that insists he be reinstated.

. . .

Racism Against Indigenous Heritage

Adding to concerns about a dim future is the tremendous empathy the social groups that identify with this rural school teacher have with Castillo. During his short presidency, Castillo was subjected to various forms of racist stigma, unleashing a “mirror effect” among his sympathizers. He was called a “donkey” and a “cholo de mierda” (“damned Indian”). His opponents mocked his wife, Lilia Paredes, for how she dressed and spoke.

It was natural for rural and Indigenous Peruvians to see themselves in him, even more so when the opposition constantly linked him to the phantom of the Shining Path guerrillas. The working class has been demonized with that false accusation for years. Precisely for this reason, conservative members of Congress repeated ad nauseum that Castillo was a “communist,” which meant he somehow was affiliated with a terrorist group. Little did it matter that early on the president had abandoned his progressive agenda, making it clear that he was not even a social democrat. In its endless efforts to depose him, the opposition organized dozens of protests under slogans like, “The Last Stand” and “Terrorism, Never Again!” These slogans evoked an atmosphere of civil war, “us against them,” that reverberated against the marginalized classes who knew they were “them”—the enemy.
More:
https://znetwork.org/znetarticle/overthrow-of-president-castillo-exposes-the-race-and-class-divide-in-peru/

[Judi Lynn]

1. Earlier article: Death Toll From Peru Protests Tops 20 as 'Coup' Government Extends Castillo's Jail

Death Toll From Peru Protests Tops 20 as 'Coup' Government Extends Castillo's Jail Term

"The democratic space is closing; we are on the way to authoritarianism," warned a leading human rights advocate in the South American nation.

BRETT WILKINS
Dec 16, 2022

Peruvian human rights defenders said Friday that the death toll has risen to 21 in nationwide protests sparked by the ouster and jailing of leftist President Pedro Castillo, whose pretrial imprisonment term was extended to 18 months by the Andean country's high court.For the 10 straight day, Peruvians took to the streets of cities and towns across the country, denouncing what many are calling a "coup" against Castillo, while demanding his immediate release, the removal of unelected interim President Dina Boluarte, the dissolution of Congress, and new elections.

Protesters defied bullets, batons, gas bombs, curfews, and a 30-day national state of emergency declared on Wednesday, a move that suspended the right to assemble and move freely about the country.

Demonstrators blocked roads, leading to the deaths of six people in traffic accidents, according toThe Guardian. Peru's El Commercioreports a 12-day-old baby being rushed to a hospital in Lima died due to roadblocks. Protesters also forced the closure of five airports, leaving travelers and tourists stranded in places including near the popular Machu Picchu complex.

. . .

eutersreports eight people were killed Thursday as state security forces moved to suppress protests in the southern Andean city of Ayacucho, where demonstrators torched the local judiciary and prosecutor's office. The city's government blamed Boluarte and her defense and interior ministers for the deaths while demanding "an immediate cessation of the use of firearms... against our people."

More:
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2022/12/16/death-toll-peru-protests-tops-20-coup-government-extends-castillos-jail-term

[TigressDem]

2. "damned Indian" is the polite translation for cholo de mierda

In Spanish cholo de mierda is literally cholo of shit or in Spanish de mierda is slang for F***ing

So F***ing Indian

[Judi Lynn]

3. They aren't hiding their viciousness. That's godawful. Hateful, hateful people.

Sure looks as if that oligarchy is long overdue a total and emphatic shake-up.

That's some filthy behavior they are engaged in. Sure hope it catches up with them.