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lukfrom t1_j6lsy8s wrote

Depressing.

Few contacts from there and other touristy places we have from our trip there indicated that they struggled during the pandemic.

Now they reopened and have to close again because people support corruption and a frigging wannabe dictator?

So fucking messed up

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ConnorChandler t1_j6m4n1r wrote

It's complicated, it's a fight between the upper class Lima born Peruvians who are sick of the constant political instability and the poor indigenous people of Peru's south who have been disenfranchised for years, finally have a champion who was one of them in Castillo only for him to be held down by the majority conservative Congress to the point he had to launch a self coup just to get his policies across.

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Blazin_Rathalos t1_j6mfg3g wrote

"Had to launch a coup" is the seriously questionable part of that.

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ConnorChandler t1_j6mgqcl wrote

At the time of his attempt Castillo had already faced 2 impeachment attempts and the 3rd led by the powerful Congress specifically the allies of Keiko Fujimori were gearing up for 1 more but lacked the support. Probably when Castillo realized he will never be able to accomplish anything without removing a Congress who clearly hates him

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Blazin_Rathalos t1_j6mhems wrote

Yeah, but it's still an elected congress, right? What he "had" to do is recognize he does not have the support he needs to the things he wants and try to make the best of the situation. Not break the system to remove opposition.

But I'm just an outsider, so there could be more I'm missing.

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ConnorChandler t1_j6n3rxp wrote

And he is the duly elected president, defeating the Fujinomorista's candidate. However, Congress under Peruvian Constitution has immense power, even more so that the president, and very little check and balance against them. It's impossible to play nice with Congress who not only hates you but actively tries to remove you 3 times.

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Blazin_Rathalos t1_j6n4x8c wrote

I still feel like the answer here is "actually win the elections for congress".

This is coming from a person who lives in a country that does not even have a directly elected president, but: having a congress/parliament that is more powerful than a president is not particularly strange or rare. It just means presidential elections are less important than some people apparently believed.

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ConnorChandler t1_j6n5doa wrote

Hence the protests. People are tired of the same conservatives running congress and perpetuating the eternal cycle of corruption, and want drastic change. Hell they're asking for a constituent assembly to rewrite their Constitution that's how desperate they've become. The current government has labeled the protesters terrorists, ensuring the police has carte blanche to open fire. This will only get worse before it gets better

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