Is Peru headed for a perfect storm? 2017 has not been an easy year for Peru and many citizens are feeling the effects. Blog opinion writer Fernando Calle cautions that Peru is now more vulnerable than ever.
Not too long ago, I wrote an article about the dangers of not taking any preventive measures against radical movements that could lead us back to the horrible experience of the 80’s.
It seems that no one has paid any close attention to this matter especially our authorities because as we all have seen in the news lately, the situation has gotten out of hand. The teacher’s syndicates are showing its very ugly face. It’s actually starting to become a reality, something we did not want to face again. As the majority of citizens are living in denial, I think we are about to witness the rebirth of a radical-terrorist movement. It may not be called The Shining Path this time but at this point their denomination is irrelevant. What’s important and most terrifying in my opinion is their Marxist, Leninist, Socialist, Guevarist, Peruvian nationalist, and Anti-imperialist ideology.
The political and social climate is perfect for this type of social phenomena to erupt.
Our new elected president, unfortunately, did not foresee what he was getting himself into. He inherited a country polluted with corruption, a ticking bomb which blew up in his face shortly after he took office. The Odebrecht scandal and the natural disasters affected the country in a very negative way from every aspect. The inability of our authorities to have a contingency plan was very evident as we saw hundreds of people suffer and continue to suffer to this day.
The reason for the title of this article is because I can feel this coming and I really hope I’m wrong. There is nothing more that I want than to see my country become a modern first world country. I do reside in Peru so I feel it is more personal now. Perfect Timing refers to how these radical movements wait for the right moment to start agitating the masses. In my modest opinion, the perfect ingredients for an insurrection are the following:
Unhappy people who are discontented with the authorities and feel hopeless, oppressed, abused, misused, and mislead.
Poverty + ignorance, which I think is a deadly cocktail, makes people vulnerable and can lead them to want to believe anything that they are told, as long as there is hope for a better future. Equality for all, they say and people want to believe in it.
We have all heard the same speech over and over again by demagogues and we have also seen how these so-called Nationalists led their countries and people to nothing but disaster, poverty, and hopelessness. We have a perfect present-day example of this right next door to us. Our brothers and sisters from Venezuela who once lived in the most economically strong country in Latin America now reside in one of the poorest nations on the planet….!!
At this point, I do not see things getting any better, but the complete opposite in our country.
We have one ex-president and former first lady in jail. Another ex-president in hiding. It is needless to say but imagine how the rest of the world is viewing us right now. Of course, we can all play the denial card, and just praise our gastronomy and great cultural heritage. But the truth is that our government and President are clueless about how to handle the lack of economic growth this year and also the social problems deriving from it.
And I have a feeling that there is more to come.
I think we are all sensing a little bit of danger and apprehension in the cold and humid air in the city of Kings. I hope I’m wrong.
In the meantime, radical thinkers are taking advantage of this situation and manipulating a good cause like the teacher’s strike into a chaotic situation. There will be more of these protests from other syndicates. I am sure of that.
