The "poor, if well organised, can set themselves a political agenda and defeat their rich"

The victory of leftist Pedro Castillo in Peru's Presidential election after weeks of far right candidate Keiko Fujimori delaying the result with baseless claims of voter fraud has provided inspiration for other leftist parties and movements.

The Communist Party of Venezuela said that:

With the victory of Pedro Castillo, the Peruvian people have expressed their energetic rejection of neoliberal policies, expressing their desire for profound economic, political and social changes in accordance with the interests of the working class and the working people of that sister nation.

The Communist Party of Chile noted that the "official ratification of his victory is the well-deserved recognition of the democratic will of the Peruvian people and their struggle for social justice."

With the Zambian presidential election coming August 12, Socialist Party of Zambia leader Fred M’membe had the most inspiring words of all:

The Politburo of the Socialist Party (Zambia) sends its greetings and congratulations to Comrades Pedro Castillo and running mate Dina Boluarte and the entire leadership of the Marxist-Leninist Free Peru party on their election victory. The election victory of Comrade Castillo, a rural school teacher, gives us a lot of encouragement and confidence, as we approach our own elections on August 12, that even the poor, if well organised, can set themselves a political agenda and defeat their rich and better financially resourced right wing opponents. We know that the challenges for the Free Peru party will be many and tough as Congress is collectively dominated by right wing parties.

Fighting Peru’s entrenched corruption under such conditions will certainly not be an easy undertaking. Of the country’s nine presidents since 1990, one, Alberto Fujimori — the father of the candidate, Keiko, the Free Peru party has defeated — is in jail, another is fighting extradition from California, a third shot himself to avoid arrest, and four others are under criminal investigation.

The Free Peru party government has to also deal with the coronavirus. Peru constitutes one of the country’s globally with the highest covid-19 death rate, and public health experts are warning of an imminent third wave.

We wish our comrades in the Free Peru party all the best.