The second round will be charged with extreme polarization. On one side Keiko Fujimori, Mrs. K, to understand, the same one who appears in the audios of the most shocking corruption case known in our republican history, only preceded by that of her father, former President Alberto Fujimori. On the other hand, Pedro Castillo, the teacher who led the 2017 teachers’ strike, stole the leadership of the CEN union from the SUTEP led by Patria Roja. The difference is no small matter.
There is a class stamp branded on this election. It is not just because Ms. K represents corruption and should be shut down because of it. As strong as that is, it is not the only thing. In fact, according to prosecutor Domingo Perez, fujimorismo is a criminal organization that acts like a political party, but to commit crimes. But it is also true that Ms. K represents the business class grouped in CONFIEP, which she served with great determination in exchange for juicy funds for her election campaign in 2011 and 2016.
Pedro Castillo, meanwhile, is the provincial teacher, of peasant origin and a traveler like his father, who is driven to run ahead of the presidential formula mounted by Perú Libre when unity with Juntos por Peru and Nuevo Perú was frustrated. She represents the business class, umbilically linked to the big transnationals and the imperial powers as subordinates. He represents the working class, teachers, workers, peasants, etc.
The vote is not only a rejection of Mrs. K, it is also affirmative, as a sign of identity with the one who now represents all the people before big capital. But of course, it remains to be seen how the Peru Libre party responds to the challenge that history has given it to run for the presidency of the country. They say that there will not be a script, that they will be faithful to their programmatic proposal. Very well, the country wants a change. Part of it is the referendum for a new Constitution, the recovery of our resources, quality public health and education, decent housing, full employment and recovery of labor and union rights, equality and justice, no to discrimination and sexism, defense of socio-environmental rights. From this side, we can insist and fight for all this. On the contrary, Mrs. K represents continuism, the government of CONFIEP, of the investors, of the private parties that have led us to this crisis with no apparent way out. If we can get the population to relate one thing to another, it will be the end of Fujimoris.
