LIMA
\nPeru\u2019s Generation Z is leading protests against rampant crime and years of political deadlock \u2014 demanding systemic change after watching seven presidents come and go in a decade. Peruvian politics is not for the faint of heart. The country has suffered years of near-constant political crisis, corruption scandals, rising prices and deadly protests.
\nPresidents have been impeached, charged, and forced from office. There is even a specially built jail that still houses three of them. But now a new generation of Peruvians, born since Alberto Fujimori\u2019s dictatorship ended in 2000, is leading the calls for change. In recent days, thousands of young people have filled Lima\u2019s streets.
\nThey organize through social media and \u2014 like youth from Indonesia, Nepal and Madagascar \u2014 wave Japanese manga \u201cOne Piece\u201d pirate flags while voicing their demands. In Lima, their anger erupted on October 15, when clashes with police left one person dead and about 100 injured. \u201cThis is about fighting for a future,\u201d Angelo Nael Genti told media.
\nThe 19-year-old student was beaten and hospitalized after being hit by a pellet during the crackdown. Most demonstrators are under 28 and many from poor neighborhoods. They say they feel unprotected by a state they accuse of failing to curb crime or deliver stability. Genti joined classmates from a public university for what he called a peaceful march.
\n\u201cThey threatened me. They told me if they hadn\u2019t arrested me, they would have killed me right there,\u201d he said, showing bruises on his arm and head injuries. He recalls first feeling the impact of a pellet on his left leg before falling to the ground. \u201cAbout seven police officers beat and kicked me,\u201d he said.
\nVideos of police aggression went viral on social media, amplifying outrage. Despite fear, Genti vows to keep protesting: \u201cWe want to preserve this idea of struggle for the next generations. His mother calls him a hero for fighting for Peruvians\u2019 rights. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
LIMA Peru\u2019s Generation Z is leading protests against rampant crime and years of political deadlock \u2014 demanding systemic change after watching seven presidents come and go in a decade. Peruvian politics is not for the faint of heart. The country has suffered years of near-constant political crisis, corruption scandals, rising prices and deadly protests. Presidents […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":510094,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-510059","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-world"],"yoast_head":"\n