Re: [Marxism] Is this another Chavez? (Peru)

[Ben Courtice <benj2006@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

<http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/611/611p20.htm>

PERU: Police occupation heralds new unrest

Luisa Ara

In the early hours of the morning of January 1, in Andahuaylas, one of
Peru’s poorest cities, approximately 150 ex-military rebels, members of
the Peruvian Nationalist Movement (MNP) headed by Antauro Humala,
stormed the city headquarters of the Peruvian National Police (PNP).

Unarmed when they broke in, they took weapons from 17 police officers
they took as hostages. Their demands were the resignation of the
president, Alejandro Toledo, who they accused of corruption and his
replacement with the vice-president, and the calling for a National
Constitutional Assembly (NCA), which would involve ex-army officers,
coca farmers, retired workers, construction unions, un-employed unions,
farmer federations, and other workers unions).

This sparked support from other parts of the city and other neighbouring
cities by students and peasant movements. This has further plunged Peru
in crisis, with the interior minister forced to resign over his handling
of the situation.

The Humala brothers appeared on the Peruvian political scene in October
2000. Lieutenant-Colonel Ollanta Humala and General Antauro Humala
marched out of their headquarters with their followers, organised
ex-military soldiers, to demand an end to the presidency of Albert
Fujimori. When Fujimori fell a month after the uprising, they handed
themselves into the authorities.

Since then, they have been considered heroes by the anti-Fujimori
movement. They didn’t last two days in prison before being freed,
reinstated in the military and Ollanta was sent to France and then
Korea; last December he was discharged.

[rest of article at <http://www.greenleft.org.au/back/2005/611/611p20.htm> ]
From Green Left Weekly, January 19, 2005.

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