Elites Tremble as Peru Leftist Taps Anger Over Rising Inequality
Pedro Castillo was a little-known schoolteacher from the hinterland. Now he’s made it to the runoff, striking fear into Lima’s elite.
Pedro Castillo attends a campaign rally in Lima on May 27.
Photographer: Miguel Yovera/BloombergThis article is for subscribers only.
At a recent rally in Lima, hundreds jostled to catch a glimpse of Pedro Castillo, the school teacher and union organizer who pulled off an upset to make it to the runoff for Peru’s presidency.
Supporters chanted “No more poor people in a rich country,” as they waved an image of Tupac Amaru II, the indigenous leader who fought against Spanish domination almost 250 years ago and who has inspired revolutionary movements across the region ever since.