June, 2021: Jeremy Corbyn’s Peace and Justice Project hail the victory of Peru’s new hard-left president, Pedro Castillo. His team tweeted, “Congratulations to Pedro Castillo on his historic victory in Perú’s elections on a bold programme for jobs, health, and education. We look forward to working together for peace and justice everywhere.” 

Congratulations to Pedro Castillo (@PedroCastilloTE) on his historic victory in Perú’s elections on a bold programme for jobs, health, and education. We look forward to working together for peace and justice everywhere.

— Peace & Justice Project (@corbyn_project) June 11, 2021

The Morning Star compared Corbyn to the South American victor, writing that Peru had been given a choice between “socialism or barbarism”. Tribune magazine wrote that Castillo “opens up the possibility of a government of the poor” and gives Peru a chance to “break with its neoliberal history” The hard left was riding high…

Anyway, cut to last night when Pedro Castillo was arrested for violating the constitution by shutting down Congress ahead of an impeachment vote.

In a speech on Wednesday, he declared a state of emergency and announced his intentions to dissolve the parliamen. The country’s vice president said the move was a “coup d’état”. Coming so soon after the hard left’s golden boy in Brazil, Lula, was outed as a Russian apologist, maybe British socialists should keep schtum about South American politics for a while…