Peru has a new president, and his name is Pedro Castillo. After a long and strenuous election, Castillo prevailed as the nation’s new leader. Opinions on the president are mixed for his left-wing ideology. His victory has put the political and business elite in the country on notice.
Background on Pedro Castillo
Castillo comes from humble beginnings, which is why he appealed to the average citizen in Peru. This political appeal won him the election as he dominated this category of Peruvians.
Castillo was born in a small town in one of the poorest areas of Peru. He grew up on his parent’s farm, helping them conduct daily tasks. His parents were illiterate, but Castillo knew he could change the narrative of his family with hard work.
He had to walk over two hours per school, which he did every day to learn how to read. Castillo became a schoolteacher, and this was his profession for 25 years. He also led the area’s education union to stand up for teachers.
When Castillo announced his candidacy, he had no prior experience in government, so people were surprised. Nevertheless, he won by a narrow margin of 44,000 votes.
A Man of the People
Castillo used a similar tactic as Donald Trump did to defeated Hillary Clinton in the 2016 presidential election. Trump was another leader with no experience in the office. Yet, he won by appealing to the common man.
Trump claimed that Democrats had forgotten this division of the United States, and he was able to turn the working man back to the Republicans. Castillo had the same strategy, labeling himself as a man of the people.
During his campaign, he was frequently heard shouting, “Never again a poor man in a rich country!” and “I do know what it is to sweep a school.” Additionally, he was always seen wearing the same attire to label that he was a man of the working class.
Castillo wore a hat that was native of his region in Peru and also carried a massive inflatable pencil. This represented his educational roots, but it also is a symbol of the Marxist Free Peru party.
Castillo hammered the point that Peru has not been governed for the best interest of the common man. Big business has taken over, and the government has favored these groups. This will no longer be the case with Castillo.
His opponents attempted to label him as a left-wing extremist.
But his connection with the people trumped this strategy. He has already called for drastic changes in his acceptance speech, including drafting a new constitution.
There are critics of Castillo that are worried he is going to overthrow the stability in the country. He has a way of captivating people, so there is a chance that things are shaken up throughout the nation. Nevertheless, stability is protected by a split Congress, so he must win over lawmakers to instill his agenda.
Many legislators have stated that they do not want a new constitution, so this will be hard for Castillo to push in Peru.
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