ABOVE: Peruvian President Pedro Castillo (Screen capture public domain)
Activists in Peru have expressed concern over their country’s new government and whether it will actively oppose LGBTQ rights.
President Pedro Castillo, a teacher from the Cajamarca region of northern Peru who is a member of the leftist and socialist Free Peru party, in June narrowly defeated Keiko Fujimori, his right-wing opponent who is the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, in the second round of Peru’s presidential election. Castillo’s inauguration took place in Lima, the Peruvian capital, on July 28.
The Associated Press reported Castillo during his campaign expressed his opposition to marriage rights for same-sex couples, but stressed LGBTQ issues “are not a priority.”
Castillo named Congressman Guido Bellido, an indigenous man who represents Cuzco, as his prime minister.
Bellido in a 2019 Facebook post praised former Cuban President Fidel Castro and specifically his 1963 comments in which he said “the (Cuban) revolution does not need hairdressers and work will make them men. The ‘new man’ cannot be a faggot. The socialist society cannot allow this type of degenerates.”
Media reports indicate Bellido in 2020 made transphobic comments in response to gender-based coronavirus prevention measures that activists said discriminated against trans people. Bellido also reportedly said “the woman is so destructive and ruthless when it comes to mixing her grudges and selfishness” and “I don’t see any lesbian or gay (person) mobilizing” against it.
“Violence is going to intensify every day if things continue as they are,” Bellido said.
Bellido has also been criticized for his previous comments in support of the Shining Path rebel group.
“(Shining Path) has been the biggest violator of human rights in the history of Peru and it concerns me a lot,” Alberto de Belaúnde, an independent congressman from Lima who is openly gay, told the Washington Blade on Monday as he discussed Bellido’s comments. “It is not a good scenario for the human rights agenda in general and specifically for the LGBT agenda.”
Gabriela Oporto Patroni, a Peruvian human rights lawyer, described Bellido’s comments as “concerning.” George Hale of Centro de Promoción y Defensa de los Derechos Sexuales y Reproductivos (PROMSEX), an LGBTQ and women’s rights group in the South American country, echoed Oporto.
“Prime Minister Bellido’s previous comments that reflect his homophobia, transphobia and misogyny are unfortunate,” Hale told the Blade.
Bellido, for his part, in recent days has said he “categorically rejects all forms of violence and terrorism in all of its extremes.” Hale noted to the Blade that Finance Minister Pedro Francke has publicly said his government will support LGBTQ rights.
“I will fight for equality of opportunities without discrimination based on gender, ethnic identity or sexual orientation,” said Francke on July 31. “I will combat homophobia and I will strongly support the fight against the killer (Shining Path), in line with the public promise that our prime minister has made.”
Asimismo, lucharé por la igualdad de oportunidades sin discriminación de género, identidad étnica u orientación sexual. Combatiré la homofobia y apoyaré una lucha firme contra el senderismo asesino, en línea con el compromiso público hecho por nuestro Primer Ministro. pic.twitter.com/3ycacbrXxM
— Pedro Francke (@pedrofrancke) July 31, 2021
The Latin American and Caribbean Network of Trans People (REDLACTRANS) on Tuesday noted Foreign Affairs Minister Héctor Béjar has said his government supports the Yogyakarta Principles, a set of global LGBTQ rights principles that advocacy groups adopted in 2006.
“We support the 2016 Yogyakarta Principles’ 29 principles about the application of international human rights norms for sexual orientation and gender identity to avoid abuses and to protect the human rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transsexuals,” said Béjar. “The human rights of sex workers will also be part of our agenda.”
#Peru Celebramos las palabras del Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores Sr. Héctor Béjar Rivera. ¡Por los derechos de las personas Trans, la población LGBTI, por los derechos sexuales y reproductivos! Que estas palabras se traduzcan en una política exterior por los #DerechosHumanos pic.twitter.com/jBd1Erjbi4
— RedLacTrans (@REDLACTRANS) August 3, 2021
Miluska Luzquiños is a transgender activist who lives in Lambayeque, a city in northern Peru.
She told the Blade on Monday the situation for LGBTQ Peruvians remains “very complicated and uncertain” because of the pandemic. Luzquiños also noted the country does not have a trans rights law.
“It is necessary for the LGBTIQ movement to keep doing advocacy in government spaces as (part of) civil society,” she said.
