Perú’s going through a coup, a dictator is now president. There has been daily protests since Monday, and protestors are being tear gassed and pepper-sprayed from helicopters. This is my home. I left at 16, I am now 24 & can’t return because I’m undocumented. THREAD:

The protests are not simply about President Vizcarra being vacated by a Congress that does not represent what the Peruvian people want. More than half of Congress is currently under investigation for corruption.

Protests will not end if Manuel Merino (dictator) renounces bc congress & the constitution are fraudulent.
The current constitution was legalized in '93 under dictator Fujimori & it does not have Peruvians in mind, especially Indigenous, Black, rural, poor, LGBT, women & girls.

The direct ask is for a new constitution made by a popular assembly elected by the people. As a Peruvian who was forced to migrate, witnessing from abroad is reminding me of everything (the violence, resistance, fear and joy) I experienced in Perú.

My family was ripped apart during the Fujimori dictatorship— most of my family members migrated to different countries. I grew up seeing state violence and the govt not caring nor protecting its people.

The Peruvian govt solely cares for their pockets. For a while now, there’s been a difference between public & private education: you have to buy your future. Doctors working in the public sector are paid miserably and have to pay for their own supplies.

But In my 16 years there, I also saw Peruvians take care of one another in a way I have not witnessed elsewhere. This week, I have witnessed people in Perú fight for their lives. As someone who is undocumented, I can’t return & seeing it all from afar has been heartbreaking.

My ask for the immigrant rights movement is to look at Perú; to amplify what is happening; to care; to not pay attention to the big news outlets there as they have been bought by the govt. This is your time to practice active solidarity.

I am an immigrants rights organizer. The goal of my work is for no one to have to leave home. In the U.S., the immigrant rights movement doesn’t know how to organize before people are forced to migrate. We can do that today by amplifying Peruvians.

We are in a global pandemic. I do not know a single person in Perú who hasn’t had a family member die because of COVID. There’s not enough ventilators, doctors are hand-picking what lives to save. Doctors are dying. In the Sierra and the Selva, people are dying at higher rates.

There has been two deaths confirmed in today’s second national march. Perú needs International solidarity right now & that looks like amplifying the voices there. For more, follow these hashtags: #MerinoAsesino #NoAlGolpe #MarchaNacional #MerinoNoEsMiPresidente

“Yesterday was the worst day of protests in 20 years
2 dead, +70 injured
13 ministers have quit
Cops ambushed protestors in front of Congress
Congress threatens with removing Merino
PICTURE: a flag used in the protest on November 14th (yesterday)”

#MerinoAsesino #Peru https://twitter.com/alertanews24/status/1327921882654498816

There are now 40 young people missing — not found in jails/hospitals. There’s 70+ people injured, many whose lives will be altered forever. TWO YOUNG PEOPLE DEAD (24 and 22 year old).

THE PERUVIAN POLICE IS KILLING AND DISAPPEARING OUR PEOPLE. THIS IS A MASSACRE #MerinoAsesino

It is 12:22pm in Perú and Merino just announced he is resigning. It is only the beginning, but it is a huge win.

All my love and rage to the families of those killed and disappeared throughout this week. The Peruvian people did this! #MerinoNoNosRepresenta

THIS IS ONLY THE BEGINNING. This will not end with Merino’s resignation. Please continue amplifying what is happening on the ground and DONATE to the Peruvian people who are (and will continue) fighting for their lives. This fund is going directly to them
http://bit.ly/solidaritype