By Işıkgün Akfırat
The resistance against the US-backed coup continues in Peru. Imprisoned President Pedro Catillo took his supporters to the streets with the letters he wrote. As the conflict intensified, Castillo delivered the message of ‘continuing the fight against the USA’.
Pedro Castillo was sacked and sent to prison in Peru, where a US-backed parliamentary coup took place, but he continues Castillo continues to struggle from behind the bars. Castillo has written letters addressing the Peruvian people since the day he was hastily imprisoned. Describing Dina Boluarte, who replaced him, as a usurper, Castillo said that he would never give up and that the people would disrupt the US-backed coup game. A state of emergency was declared in the capital, Lima, due to the protests that started after Castillo ‘s determined stance. As a result of the harsh intervention of the police who supported the coup, 25 demonstrators lost their lives and more than 500 people were injured. Protests are continuing to spread across the country.
US’ finger in coup has been proven
The connections between the US Embassy and the coup forces in the triangle of the Peruvian parliament, army and judiciary strengthen the meaning of Castillo’s letters. According to links captured by Multipolarista.com, former CIA agent Lisa Kenna, current US Ambassador to Lima, met a day before the coup with Peruvian Minister of Defense, Gustavo Bobbio. Bobbio reassured Kenna that the army and police would support the coup. Hence, Kenna ordered the parliamentary forces under her control to take action. It was reported that Castillo had decided to dissolve the parliament because he learned about this dirty operation.
Peruvian President Pedro Castillo, who won the elections on July 28, 2021 and took office. grappled from day one with attempts to overthrow him, both internally and externally. Every day of his presidency, Castillo, a teacher’s union leader, fought against the propaganda of the country’s comprador bourgeoisie and white elites, which have deep interests in America, through the media and NGOs. He also faced the constant betrayal of Americanism infiltrating the left.
Castillo relied on the despised and marginalized natives of Peru, who were the main force that brought him to the presidency. Now he continues the resistance with them.
Here are the 7 letters that Castillo has handwritten in the prison. These were sent through his lawyers to be shared on social media and raised the country.
1. Letter Monday, December 12:
‘I am armed with your struggle’
“Great and patient, dear Peruvian people,
I’m Pedro Castillo, I am the person you all chose 16 months ago to run the constitutional presidency of the Republic.
I am calling out to you in the most difficult period of my government. I am humiliated, disconnected, mistreated and kidnapped. However, even in these conditions, I am calling out to you as someone who is still armed with your trust and struggle, and moreover, as someone who took action with the glorious spirit of our ancestors.
I speak to you to reiterate my unwavering loyalty to the people and constitutional authority that I represent as President.
I will neither resign nor relinquish my high and sacred duties.
What has been said by an usurper in recent days is nothing but the saliva and snot of the putschist right that you all know.
Therefore, our people should not come to their new election dirty game.
Enough of the abuse!
The Constituent Assembly is now!
Freedom now!
Best regards,
Peruvian Constitutional President
Pedro Castillo ”
2. Letter, Tuesday, December 13:
‘I will not give up on the cause of the people’
Today, I share with you the statements I made at the hearing: “I greet everyone here and call out to my country. I was unjustly and arbitrarily detained. I am not a thief, rapist or a bribed thug. I would like to express my gratitude to my country, my people, for their trust in me, their efforts, their struggle and their identity. I will never resign or give up on this public cause that drew me here. From here I want to call on the Armed Forces and the National Police to lay down their arms and stop killing these people who are thirsty for justice. I want my people to accompany me between 1 and 2 o’clock tomorrow afternoon. I have not committed any riot or conspiracy crime.”
3. Letter, Tuesday, December 13:
‘You are responsible for the spilled blood’
“In the face of serious acts of massacre against my people, I call on the National Police and Armed Forces to lay down their arms to stop the bloodshed of my people.
Miss Dina Boluarte, look at where you are now. I hold you and all your circles responsible for the brutal attack on my compatriots. I urge our people to be vigilant and optimistic.”
4. Letter, Wednesday, December 14:
‘I will embrace you tomorrow’
Today is the seventh day of unjust and ill-treating detention. For seven days, our people showed me their solidarity and determination to defend our government and its future. I will be released tomorrow at 1:42 PM.
I look forward to meeting and embracing all of you at the DIROES facilities.”
5. Letter, Wednesday, December 14:
‘That’s enough!’
The Peruvian Attorney General ‘s Office ordered 18 months of “preemptive detention” hours before Castillo was released. Castillo wrote this letter right after:
“It is enough! The anger, humiliation and abuse continue. Today, with 18 months of detention, my freedom is restricted again. I appeal to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights (IACHR).
I ask you to mediate for the rights of me and my Peruvian brothers who are crying out for justice. I hold judges and prosecutors responsible for what is going on in this country. A million thanks to my compatriots for their love and support.
‘Only the people can save the people.’”
6. Letter, 14 December 2022:
‘I am the representative of those who have been neglected for 200 years’
“On behalf of the thousands of Peruvian brothers and sisters who took to the streets and spent the night there,; in the name of the children, youth, housewives, peasants, peasant communities, defense fronts, traders, transporters, street vendors, artisanal fishermen, miners, youth, artisans, farmers, teachers and the working class: I extend my greetings and gratitude to my brothers and sisters, who have shown a sense of belonging and solidarity with my people and our legitimate Government:
Colombian President Gustavo Petro
Mexican President Andres Manuel López Obrador,
Bolivian President Luis Arce
Argentine President Alberto Fernandez.
As it is known, I was chosen by the forgotten men and women living in the depths of Peru, by the dispossessed who have been neglected for over 200 years.
Since I took office, they have not hesitated for a minute to reject this decision of the people. They showed despicable attitudes, such as refused to permit me to go to brother countries such as Colombia and Mexico. In this difficult context, the putschists exploit and starve people, and today they want to silence my people. It is done by the shady role of the press, which has taken 1.8 billion sols [Peruvian currency] to silence the carnage and crisis in Peru, a payment that my government had planned for the Second Agrarian Reform and Chrismas payment for police and teachers.
It is urgent to regain this payment.
I reiterate my gratitude to the fraternal presidents of Colombia, Mexico, Bolivia and Argentina. I declare to you that we will stand firm and will not renounce or abandon the just cause and popular will of the Peruvian people.”
7. Letter, 16 December 2022:
Attention compatriots!
“Citizens beware! The visit of the US Ambassador to the Governmental Palace was neither free nor beneficial to the country. This visit was to order the soldiers to take to the streets and slaughter my defenseless people, and meanwhile opening the path to mining exploitation, as was the case in Conga, Tía María and others.
The Peruvian press will not only remain silent on this issue, but will easily deny it.”