L.A. Turns Out to Vote for Change--in Peru

Los Angeles resident Audina Aquije is thousands of miles from her Peruvian homeland, but the distance did not hamper her enthusiasm Sunday to “get some democracy” as she cast a ballot at a local high school in her country’s controversial national elections.

“To vote is a civic duty in Peru--we think in another way than Americans do,” said Aquije, standing outside Belmont High School, where thousands of Southern California’s Peruvian citizens were expected to cast votes to elect a new interim legislature.

In all, 18 parties are competing for seats in a new 80-member, single-chamber Congress that will replace the assembly that was disbanded by Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori last April.

At that time, Fujimori also suspended the constitution, closed the courts and halted most democratic processes, in a power seizure he said was necessitated by widespread corruption and the failure to control political violence that has swept the country.

In Los Angeles, most people said they agreed with Fujimori’s actions.

“He’s not a dictator like some accuse him of being,” said Teresa Motonishi, a 20-year resident of Los Angeles. “He needed to clean up the Congress and now we must elect one that will cooperate with him.” She held up a red poster that endorsed Fujimori’s Cambio (Change) 90 Party and bore a photograph of the smiling president.

The bright, warm day lent an almost festive air to the occasion as one enterprising vendor sold Peruvian beer from the back of his pickup truck. A satellite hookup set up on the school’s lawn provided a link to a Lima television station broadcasting election results.

But the complicated domestic politics of Peru were also evident, as police and private security guards maintained a discreet distance, and FBI agents monitored events to ensure that there were no disruptions.

Concern has been raised because a local group that claims affiliation with Peru’s Maoist Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path) guerrilla band had threatened to picket the balloting.

The Sendero Luminoso had launched a series of bomb attacks in Peru before the election, killing several people and wounding dozens of others. But no incidents were reported in Los Angeles on Sunday.

“We took full security measures and everything has been peaceful,” said Peruvian Consul General Raul Pinto Alvarez. “I don’t think anyone felt threatened or feared to come to vote today.”

Pinto said 6,200 Peruvian citizens are registered with the consulate and are eligible to vote. About half that number were expected to cast ballots Sunday.

The guerrilla warfare and terrorism that have plagued Peru for more than a decade and threatens the lives of relatives and friends living there seemed to be on the minds of many Peruvian natives who lingered to chat after voting.

For them, casting their ballots was a bid to bring order, peace and economic prosperity to their impoverished, violence-racked homeland.

“I have relatives still there and I am afraid for them,” Motonishi said.

“We in our country have the same problems that everyone does,” Jorge Sanchez said, “but like everyone else we are also hopeful that with change, things will improve for our relatives and our kids.”