[act-ma] 1/31 Report from Peru - Sharpening Class Conflict and Protests

[Charlie Welch]

Report from Peru - Sharpening Class Conflict and Protests


In July 2021, Pedro Castillo, a leftist strike leader and former 
schoolteacher, was elected president of Peru. Peru had the highest 
COVID-19 death rate in the world! For every 150 residents, one has died 
of COVID. Many hold the previous reactionary president responsible. From 
the beginning the right-wing Congress had tried to fraudulently disrupt 
his Presidency and oust him through multiple failed attempts at 
impeachment.
On December 7, 2022, President Pedro Castillo made a surprise address to 
the nation. He announced the dissolution of the Congress and replacing 
it with an "exceptional emergency government" and called for new 
elections. In a US supported parliamentary/military coup, he was 
subsequently arrested and deposed from power. Working people of Peru 
have a right to handle their own political affairs without US 
imperialist intervention.

The class struggle has since sharpened greatly with regular 
mobilizations of working people, the poor, and farmers. A large part of 
Peru is now militarized and in a state of emergency to crush the 
protests. Tanks, together with groups of soldiers and assault police, 
patrol the streets daily, seeking to intimidate the protesters and the 
people who come out to join them. The regime has even started falsely 
labeling protesters “terrorists” in order to victimize them.
US Hands Off Peru! Self-determination for Peruvian Working People!

Reporting from Peru
Hear: Cesar Zelada – Cesar has been a labor activist, housing organizer, 
and student leader. He is involved in the battles for social justice in 
Peru and is currently participating in the unfolding protests there. He 
is a member of the Agrupacion Vilcapaza organization in Peru.

*Tues. Jan 31 at 7 PM  EST  4 PM PST*

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