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sir_crapalot t1_j3s6mou wrote

Reply to comment by Generic-Commie in Peru protests: 17 dead in fresh clashes as calls grow for President Boluarte to resign | Peru by Generic-Commie

The criticisms of a deadlocked Congress are valid up to the moment Castillo thought it was a good idea to unilaterally dissolve it. His attempt to overthrow Congress is indefensible and completely undemocratic.

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Generic-Commie OP t1_j3s7wnx wrote

I care less about institutions and more about what their effects on the people are. If the choice is between continued slavery and oppression until some old conservative millionaire decides it is time for you to have rights, or to take those rights and power yourself, there is no question which one it is right to take.

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sir_crapalot t1_j3s8x5s wrote

So you think Castillo should have succeeded with his coup and would have become a benevolent autocrat “for the people?”

Alberto Fujimori was the last person to successfully pull off a coup (with the support of the military). He deserves credit for much of Peru’s highway infrastructure connecting rural areas to the wealthier parts of the country, fostering economic development. He was able to fund these projects in large part because he neutered Congress and acted unilaterally.

Fujimori also, under the pretext of national security, justified incredibly inhumane acts like the forced sterilization of thousands of rural people so they couldn’t “breed more terrorists.”

Benevolent autocrats don’t exist. Concentrated power is dangerous.

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Generic-Commie OP t1_j3s9kqj wrote

The goal of the dissolution of Congress was not actually for Castillo to become the celestial emperor of Tawantinsuyu and proclaim "I am the state" tbh. It was to make a new congress and a new constitution. Both of which are things that the people of Peru could not and should not wait for.

Would he have stayed in power afterwards? Probably, at least until the next election. But I don't see the issue as long as it breaks the neo-liberal despotism of the Fujimoritie Congress.

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sir_crapalot t1_j3sbg17 wrote

> It was to make a new congress and a new constitution. Both of which are things that the people of Peru could not and should not wait for.

Oh, there it is: the belief that the only way to fix the system is to burn it down.

Lasting political change in a democracy is slow by design. Rural Peruvians are not an insignificant voting bloc; they can and should vote for more liberal candidates to change the makeup of Congress if that is what they desire.

In no way is a fucking coup with a new constitution the best solution to political stalemate. I’m done here, have a nice day.

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Generic-Commie OP t1_j3sjynv wrote

> Lasting political change in a democracy is slow by design.

In liberal democracy yes. Maybe that's a bad thing though. Certain social, economic issues should absolutely not take decades to pass through.

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