‘Dictatorship, No!’ Protesters Chant in Peru
More than 15,000 opponents of President Alberto Fujimori on Thursday staged one of the biggest protests yet against his decade in power, rallying on the eve of his inauguration for an unprecedented third term after a tainted reelection.
The peaceful overnight outpouring against Fujimori’s inauguration united workers, students and Peruvians from all walks in a raucous, torchlit rally, marked by bottle rockets screaming over a downtown plaza and drums pounding loudly in the cool night air. Riot police were not present.
“Democracy, yes! Dictatorship, no!” the demonstrators chanted as they marched past the ornate Palace of Justice carrying huge red banners bearing the word DEMOCRACIA in bold white capital letters.
The rally marked the start of a round of protest intended to culminate with a march this morning against Fujimori’s inauguration. International monitors have said the May 28 election did not meet minimum standards of fairness.
On the streets Thursday evening, one toddler held up a crudely penciled portrait of Fujimori attached to the body of a rat. Other people carried flaming torches or the flag of the ancient Inca empire, in a rainbow of colors, while Indian men danced with red sombreros and Indian women hawked cookies from wicker baskets.
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