By Gustavo Espinoza M. on July 28, 2021 – Resumen Latinoamericano
photo: courtesy Peru presidential office
Calm but firm in the exposition of complex points of view was the presidential speech with which Pedro Castillo Terrones started his governmental administration at noon today, on the occasion of the Bicentenary of the Constitution of the Republic of Peru.
There was certainly marked expectation for the ceremony planned in the National Parliament. However, two petty events played out in the background of what could have been a radical confrontation, but was skillfully maneuvered by the new President.
A couple of days ago, on July 26, within the framework of the election of the Board of Directors of the Congress, a hostile convergence of forces left Peru Libre, the new Government Party, without participation in the Board of Directors of the Chamber. And it did so on the basis of a defined correlation of forces, approving by majority an unfounded resolution that excluded a list of proposals, supported by the new ruling party.
And this morning, in an absolutely unusual gesture, the outgoing Head of State, Francisco Sagasti, refused to hand over the Presidential Sash and instead deposited it in the hands of a subordinate official. The act was a sort of petty political revenge of Acción Popular -which today has the majority in the new Board of Directors of the Chamber- for the fall of Manuel Merino de Lama, the populist adventurer who last November aroused immense citizen repudiation by orchestrating the dismissal of Martin Vizcarra.
Disregarding these two gestures marked by the arrogance of a hostile opposition, Pedro Castillo instead presented a set of proposals that put things in place.
Presenting a markedly independent and sovereign vision, he first greeted the descendants of the original peoples of pre-Hispanic Peru, “the Quechua, Aymara and Afro-Peruvian brothers and sisters and the different communities of migrant descendants; as well as all the dispossessed minorities of the countryside and the city”.
The President spoke of the Bicentennial, pointing out that it was not the Bicentennial of Independence, but of the Declaration of Independence. And he referenced that the peoples that inhabited these lands five thousand years before, had built their own cultures and social development, demolished by the division of the settlers. Thus, he alluded to the indigenous peoples, and to the forces that later built a multi-cultural and multi-ethnic society.
He also referred to women, work, history and science, as a way of highlighting what Peru is today. He also evoked the origins and the colonial continuity of our history, underlining the cruelty of the invaders. And he did so before the undaunted face of the King of Spain.
In addressing the cardinal themes of the speech, Castillo spoke of the economic crisis, lashing out against a “model” that accumulated wealth and privileges in a few hands, and hunger and misery in most Peruvian households. He outlined a policy loaded with proposals, and aimed at reversing the crisis by promoting employment, as well as the active participation of the State to ensure investment and the management of essential resources.
Health was a central issue in the new President’s presentation. He did not limit himself to ensuring a constant and consistent fight against the Pandemic that still overwhelms the lives of Peruvians; he also supported the need to radically change the health system to ensure that it is a true citizen’s right, and not a privilege, as it is today.
Similar was the plans concerning education, which also suffers the onslaught of Neo Liberalism. To solve the crisis in the sector, he announced his decision to declare it an emergency and his view to radically change the educational policy in the country, modifying the teaching programs and revaluing the teaching profession to allow it to fulfill its role in the forging of the national conscience.
Against the current of the mining apologists, he maintained the need to protect and preserve the environment and bio diversity, pointing out the imperious need to respect the rights of the populations, guaranteeing that the projects underway would be adapted to the requirements of the localities; or the would simply not be considered by the Peruvian State.
And, undoubtedly, the cardinal theme of the message was oriented to support the need for a New Constitution for the country, through the installation of a National Constituent Assembly with the most active possible citizen participation and the intervention of the different segments of contemporary society.
Ensuring respect for the jurisdiction of the different powers of the State, he affirmed the application of the constitutional norm in force to fully comply with the established procedures, and thus guarantee a National Referendum to facilitate the call for this new structure.
And as a way of reiterating the emancipating and anti-colonial sense of his policy, he informed the country that he would no longer use the Pizarro Palace -the Government House-, which will finally be ceded to the Ministry of Cultures -as it will be called from now on- to be used as a National Museum.
In short it was a strong speech that will mark the course of national life and will feed the citizens’ expectations.
Source and translation Resumen Latinoamericano