United for good governance. The Lima Bar Association (CAL), led by Dean Dr. Raúl Canelo, and dozens of organized civil society institutions signed the Historic Citizens’ Agreement (AHC) to defeat organized crime, defend life, and restore the rule of law, in an alliance seeking solutions to the political and social crisis facing Peru.
The first assembly was held on Wednesday, December 10th, at the Lima Bar Association headquarters, and received a massive response from organized civil society. Representatives from various social organizations, labor unions, citizen platforms, business and MSME associations, professional associations, the self-employed, peasant communities, youth and university organizations, and families of crime victims, among others, attended the signing.
“We are living under a true dictatorship.”
The Historic Citizen Agreement (AHC) is a meeting point for finding common ground in the defense of the country.
“Democracy is at stake. We are currently living under a true dictatorship, where oversight bodies are autonomous only on paper. ‘Change the law and we won’t be prosecuted’ is the common way of doing politics, and no one considers that this benefits common criminals. Today, with pro-crime laws, 50 offenses have been removed from the definition of organized crime, including illegal mining,” denounced Dean Canelo.
He added that among the actions to be taken are presenting a bill to reinstate the repealed laws; likewise, the case of prosecutor Delia Espinoza (now considered the “citizen lawyer”) will be referred to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, and working groups will be created based on shared interests; an online form will be opened for further support, and communications will be sent to the Organization of American States (OAS) regarding the situation in the country.
“Human rights are disappearing, which is why there is a need to protect transparent elections. Enough is enough; we must put a stop to this. We need a historic agreement, with the continued support of democratic sectors that stand up to this corrupt state. We must live in a country with justice and freedom. Enough is enough,” he added.
Regarding the social protests, the dean stated: “The repressive laws that have been enacted, such as this State of Emergency, are aimed at Generation Z. Laws are being passed to prevent people from protesting, flagrantly violating the Constitution, which establishes freedom of association, freedom of opinion, and freedom of expression. The Lima Bar Association (CAL) is vigilant, and since we have legislative initiative, we will present the necessary bills and, together with you, we will exert popular pressure to put an end to this abusive situation.”
Resilient Peruvians
Alfonso Cotera, representative of the Platform for Democracy, stated that “given this situation, the signatories highlight the historic spirit of resilience to overcome the crisis. Peru requires an ethical and democratic pact with inclusive democracy.”
The organizers encouraged citizens to sign and participate in the working groups of the Historic Citizen Agreement on the following topics: defense of democratic institutions, fight against crime, election observation, justice and reparations for victims, constitutional reform, development of territorial capacities, and a resilient Peru.
Visit the following link to the Historic Citizen Agreement:
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