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.
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