April 29, 2024
Excerpts from an interview with reactionary writer reflect further decomposition of the old Peruvian State
Interview appeared in Perú 21, 27/04/2024, by CARLOS CABANILLAS
The interviewee, a journalist linked to the main press monopolies as well as DESCO, is the author of the book Ciudadano Fujimori [Citizen Fujimori—Trans], published in 1993, where he largely focuses on the Japanese origin of the fascist, genocidal, and traitorous Fujimori, to avoid his true political characterization, and as part of it, being a character without principles and the president of Peru that was the greatest lackey of Yankee imperialism, until that moment, as the following presentation of the book says:
“Through the testimonies of family and friends, legal documents, statements to the press and a meticulous investigation that delves into the roots of the Japanese colony in Peru, Jochamowitz bursts into the crevices of a history…”
In the prologue to the 2018 edition, he will only be correct about the man without principles, but will continue to hide his true characterization of the man and his government, as well as of Montesinos, the agent of the USA-CIA, when Jochamowitz writes about Fujimori's personality:
“...he had no real empathy, no ethical and human sense of the world in which he had grown up and was about to govern. At that moment Montesinos and his promise of infinite corruption and cheating appeared.”
We reproduce excerpts of some questions and answers from the interview with Luis Jochamowitz of the reactionary newspaper Perú 21, belonging to the monopoly press group El Comercio, because we consider it interesting to document how the decomposition of the old semi-colonial and semi-feudal Peruvian society is reflected in the country's reactionary intelligentsia and the mass media, on the basis of which develops bureaucrat-capitalism at the service of imperialism, mainly Yankee imperialism, and as it had to be of the old State, with its armed forces and police, mainly, and with its bureaucracy, which sustains and defends it, here in its own way is expressed how this objective situation is reflected in the minds of reactionaries like Jochamowitz and the place it has in newspapers like the one cited above.
Before reading the above excerpts, it is important to keep in mind what Chairman Gonzalo has said on several occasions:
“But we must be clear that the
problems are a consequence of the outdated system that exists in Peruvian
society, of the general crisis of bureaucratic capitalism, of Peruvian society
as a whole; it is part of the collapse of bureaucratic capitalism, we cannot
argue that it is the problem of this or that government because if that was the
case, the government would be changed and the crisis would be solved.
Three ‘Against’:
Against hunger, unemployment, and crisis!
Against repression and genocide!
Against the Old State and imperialism!
Three ‘For’:
Land, wages, and national production!
The rights of the people and people’s war!
People’s Republic of Peru!”
Let's read some excerpts from the
interview, which address the issue:
“Luis Jochamowitz: ‘Peru is not leftist, but rather furious’
Luis Jochamowitz, writer
Updated on April 27, 2024
From Jaime Villanueva to Vladimiro Montesinos. He talks about the volatility of the ruling power and the mediocrity of the shadow advisors. “How many clocks do you need to see the time?” the journalist asks. And looking to 2026, he opines on Acuña, Chiabra, López Aliaga and Antaur Luis Jochamowitz, writer.
Updated on April 27, 2024, 7:15 A.M.
Luis Jochamowitz, the writer who has
best portrayed the power in Peru, speaks of its transience.
What do you think of the philosopher Jaime Villanueva? A wannabe Montesinos.
It won't taint the whole philosophy.
He has a gift for sociability, no doubt. He must have a good way of speaking.
The vacuum of leaders is filled with whatever there is. And each time it goes
down. After Benavides will come another one. But the power vacuum is filled.
And what are the most sought-after skills? Social skills. I know, little
brother. Do you know who used to write Martin Vizcarra's speeches? An editor of
El Peruano. You can't get more puny than that. They sell their place in history
for 14 watches. And believing that they are going to go home. No, they are not
going to go home, they are going to go through Barbadillo.
Did Montesinos have a higher level than Villanueva? Because in your book you criticize him.
He was neither cultured nor of
exquisite tastes. I don't think Alejandro Esparza Zañartu was, either. It
strikes me that Vargas Llosa did not want to write about Montesinos. In
general, he does not like Fujimorism, it seems.
Do you see a decline in politics and the media?
There is an unusual degree of cultural
and moral decadence. It is not that Peru has never been badly governed. We have
always been badly governed. But one thing is bad and another is lousy. Because
they are already thinking about governing in order to prosper and protect
themselves. Because one of the lessons that must be recognized is that in the
end you get the bill and you end up in jail or on the wallpaper. From Fujimori
onwards. They make you a figurehead.
But there are 40 candidates. It seems to be worth the fleeting glory.
Moths to the flame. You're going to
get burned, but it doesn't matter, you think it won't happen to you. There are
no leaders. Who is Acuña? A leap backwards. Well, after Pedro Castillo anything
is possible. Dina is awful. This 14 watches thing is comical. Outside they must
see it that way. How many clocks do you need to see the time?
(…)
Since PPK [Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, former president of the old Peruvian State—Trans], all vice presidents have been presidents. Peru is perhaps the only country with two vice presidents because of the plots caused by the first one.
That's what they say, but I don't know
for sure. I think Seoane did not behave well with Belaunde. But in general I
have been thinking that I should have stopped voting a long time ago. There is
no way to get it right. It's a game that is already spoiled on principle. I
have always voted. And I only voted blank last time, for the first time in my
life. The problem is that there is no useful vote: it is always useless.
(…)
Perhaps the deadlines have changed. The social contract expires in less than 5 years.
It used to be 7. Now it is 5 and just
barely enough.
(…)
The left criticizes Peruvian fascism. But fascism is Antauro, isn't he more like Sanchez Cerro or Luis A. Flores?
That is the possibility: that fascism
is militant and serrano [Derogatory term against migrants from Peru’s Sierra
Region—Trans]. More dangerous, more popular. A San Isidro fascism is not going
anywhere. They couldn't even get out a fifth-rate president like Castillo, who
expelled himself. ‘Porky’ is a curiosity of Lima.
What have you been reading?
Reviews. I also listened to some
audiobooks. One by Álvaro Mutis. The problem is that nothing replaces silence.
Words appear when you are reflecting.
(…)
“The glory of power is a fleeting glitter. It lasts for nothing. And they don't seem to realize it, don't understand it. Five or seven years later, no one remembers you. You have no influence. Look at all the Velasco military. They ended up watering his garden.”
Translation from Spanish to English by RedLibrary