Maduro, pick up your trash, out with poisons: Xenophobia in Peru
These are not quiet days for Venezuelans in Peruvian territory. Every week xenophobia increases in this country, which begins to publicly pressure Venezuelans to leave their country.
What do Peruvians demand?
Now, some political influences, politicians, Peruvian protesters, anti-Venezuelan people and even religious figures, are constantly asking that the "Venecos leave my country."
The protests originated after levels of insecurity soared in different cities where Venezuelans are present. In addition, some acts of violence are witnessed by Venezuelans and the false news on social networks has caused the patience of Peruvians to reach its limits.
Venezuelans and other people were in charge of spreading xenophobia videos asking that they remove all the “Venezuelans from the country”, however, while waiting for local support, they received voices of support to make this a reality.
"Venezuelans, bad or good, have to leave Peru (...) One million immigrants, legal and illegal, workers and criminal bandits, have to eat, they have to sleep, they come to take our Peruvians' jobs," Esther assured Saavedra, congressman from Peru.
Is there xenophobia in Peru?
Other videos have appeared on social media of some policemen beating Venezuelan women and men. The reasons for the aggression are simply because of their presence, according to the complainants, while a large group of Peruvians simply treat them as thieves and prostitutes.
At present, it is known that there is an average of 1 million Venezuelans in Peru between legal and illegal. The authorities are concerned that the constant videos of harassment and attacks on Venezuelans will become a motivation for the entire country to become aggressive against this population.
Of course, the Peruvian government has rejected these acts of violence, assuring that there is "a fund of 30 million dollars for humanitarian needs in close coordination with host governments, donor governments, NGOs and UN counterparts."
