FREEDOM FOR THE POLITICAL AND WAR PRISONERS OF PERU!

 

CEASE THE POLITICAL PERSECUTION!
FREEDOM FOR THE POLITICAL AND WAR PRISONERS OF PERU!

For 40 years the guarantee criminal law has been devastated under the pretext of the guerrilla struggle that began in 1980 and ended more than 20 years ago. Political persecution and the use of the so-called terruqueo to criminalize all questioning of the capitalist system continues to unfold. The great mobilizations of November 2020 and the fallen Inti and Brian were accused of terrorists; in December a gigantic raid named Olympus was primed against a hundred citizens accused of terrorists without having committed any crime; later, the protest of the agricultural proletariat against the vile capitalist exploitation was met with blood and fire by murdering three workers. During the electoral campaign, the recalcitrant right went as far as delirium in its anti-communist campaign, falsely calling its opponents terrorists, a campaign that continued seeking to annul the elections and overthrow the new government as soon as possible.

On the other hand, what did this demonstrate? That the path of the people was developing, the masses advanced in clarifying themselves, mobilizing, organizing, questioning the capitalist system and demanding a new constitution through a constituent assembly.

It is before this advance in which the Marxist-Leninist-Maoists, Gonzalo Thought participated as part of the people that the reaction machines the perverse assassination of Chairman Gonzalo and his cremation so as not to leave evidence, believing that this would slow down the popular advance. The Castillo government succumbed to this protective plan by passing a monstrous law for the kidnapping and disappearance of Chairman Gonzalo's mortal remains.

The tribute to the Chairman from all corners of the planet and the commitment to follow his example raised the popular spirit and thwarted the sinister wishes of the exploiting classes. And in the face of the extensive struggles of the peasantry against large-scale mining in recent days, a massive protest learned from the People's War, the State and its government respond with the intervention of the army, while the far right unleashes a furious campaign of land against the popular masses.

Capitalism and its neoliberal model have shown their profound failure. The protests of workers, peasants, working masses, youth and women are expressions of rejection of the capitalist system. It is proof of a great truth: The rebellion is justified! Rebellion that 40 years ago, in 1980, was expressed as a people's war from the countryside to the city led by the Communist Party of Peru, a war that, despite errors, excesses and limitations, meant the largest revolutionary social movement in Peruvian history, basis and future of the emancipation of our people.

Thousands of combatants were imprisoned from that great epic who never knelt down. In the year of the bicentennial we are still hundreds of political prisoners with life imprisonment and with very high penalties for the political crime of rising up against injustice and oppression.

The revenge and hatred of the ruling classes focused on our leaders, their spearhead focused on Dr. Abimael Guzmán, who was defamed for years by preventing him from speaking out and defending himself, isolating him in a military torture prison and murdering him, after 29 years of ignominious prison, a sinister crime that will not go unpunished. His timeless example and Gonzalo thought will always guide us.

Dozens of years of torture and isolation must end. The freedom of the political prisoners of the People's War and the end of the political persecution is a necessity to advance in the democratization of Peruvian society.

Furthermore, new political prisoners are detained for declaring themselves Marxists or demanding fundamental rights, a new constitution, an end to neoliberalism, and defense of socialism. When we see these young men and women marching fists raised, waving combative slogans, defying oppressive capitalism, chanting and haughtily facing repression, yesterday's political prisoners are reflected in them, we remember our own youth and understand better than the cost that we delivered it was worth it, that the heroes that preceded us are seeds that bear fruit today.

It is becoming increasingly clear that poverty, false democracy, unemployment, crisis, corruption, vile selfishness, human exploitation, are characteristic of the capitalist system. That they can only end by ending capitalism and building a new social order based on solidarity, the common good, full work, collective planning, real equality of rights, in short, a new socialist society.

The political prisoners of yesterday and today are an example of the struggle for socialism serving the people wholeheartedly and the fight for their freedom is a just and necessary demand. As the poet Marcos Ana said:

Break down my cell!
Open my coffin; that the world
standing in amazement see us
indomitable, but wounded,
buried under the ground.
Let my chains not remain silent!

In the middle of the bicentennial of independence, more than 20 years after the end of the internal war, is unacceptable the existence of political prisoners of more than 70 years, of political prisoners with more than 25 years of prison, of a torture prison such as that of the Callao Naval Base, as well as opening new processes to impose new life sentences, holding vulnerable prisoners for decades, and not having prison benefits.
The political prisoners of Peru are part of the best sons of the Peruvian people and are an example to the world of courage and heroism. Let them come out into the light of the world! Let not their chains remain silent!

November 2021
National Committee of Political and War Prisoners of Peru