Peru elections: Thousands of Peruvians march in Lima to the cry of “KeikoNoVa”

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Thousands of Peruvian citizens marched this Tuesday, June 1, through the historic center of Lima to express their rejection of the presidential candidacy of authoritarian right-wing Keiko Fujimori, using as their rallying cry the slogan “Keiko no va” (NoToKeiko).

The march took place peacefully through several of the main streets of the capital and began in San Martin square, where social groups and citizens gathered to express their rejection of the possibility that Fujimori could be elected president of Peru in the second round of elections that will be disputed this Sunday, June 6, running against the leftist Pedro Castillo.

CHORUSES, FLAGS, AND MUSIC

“Keiko No Va”, appeared on the slogans, banners, and placards displayed by the demonstrators during their march, accompanied by Peruvian flags and flags of social and union organizations.

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In addition, artistic collectives participated with drums and percussion instruments and the “sikuris”, the bands formed by numerous musicians who play at the same time the zampoñas, wind instruments similar to pan flutes.

Among the participants were university students and relatives of the Barrios Altos and La Cantuta massacres victims, for which former president Alberto Fujimori, Keiko’s father, was sentenced to 25 years in prison.

“Those of us who have lived through the first Fujimorism government know that it is more of the same, against citizens and workers,” said a 63-year-old woman who assured that she joined the demonstration despite the risk implied by the Covid-19 pandemic.

REJECTION OF CORRUPTION

Many of the attendees recalled the corruption network installed during Alberto Fujimori’s regime (1990-2000), led by his advisor Vladimiro Montesinos. They affirmed that “the corruption he left installed is going to return to the highest level.”

They also displayed banners and launched slogans against a sector of the national press, which they accused of openly supporting the candidacy of Keiko, who vindicates the political legacy of her father’s regime.

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Other participants openly expressed their preference for candidate Pedro Castillo. They considered that his election would mean “a change” for their country, hit hard by a health and economic crisis generated by the pandemic.

Among attendees were members of the leftist movement Nuevo Perú, led by former presidential candidate Verónika Mendoza, who supports Castillo’s candidacy. “Because we want a country with justice, where crimes do not go unpunished. A country with memory. That is why we say #KeikoNoVa,” Nuevo Peru said on its social networks.

For their part, representatives of the Federation of Civil Construction Workers stated that they also marched “for justice and dignity” in their country.

The call against Keiko Fujimori was also held in other important regions such as Cusco, Tacna, Ancash, Ayacucho, Piura, Ica, Huancavelica, Apurímac, Puno, and Lambayeque, where it also gathered numerous people, according to local media.