[Music]
there's my protests like these all over
the city these are people that are
coming from Lima they're coming from the
countryside from the rural size and
their message is simple they want new
elections a new Constitution and a new
president but more than anything what
this is really about is indigenous
people wanting to be heard not wanted to
be exploiting and demanding change
these protests have been going on in
Peru for five months more than 60 people
have been killed most of them were from
indigenous communities
[Music]
the capital I'm now converging in this
spot and to my right is the police
that's standing by
[Music]
[Applause]
go ahead
come on
protests initially began in support of
former president Pedro Castillo who was
imprisoned after he tried to dissolve
Congress in an attempted coup Tomos La
decisions
a former farmer and Union Leader he won
the 2021 elections because of his base
of rule and Indigenous peruvians who saw
him as their champion
pledged bold reforms to the Constitution
which currently gives the political
Elite and big businesses control over
the natural resources of the countryside
[Music]
while Castillo now faces charges of
rebellion conspiracy and Corruption his
arrest has sparked a popular Uprising
against a system that protesters say has
exploited indigenous people and their
resources for Generations
[Music]
so we're about to meet a group of aymada
women the aymada are one of the many
indigenous communities from Peru and
these women traveled over two days from
the southern rural Countryside area of
funo to participate in the
anti-government protests that are taking
place right here in Lima
is
[Music]
their struggle for indigenous rights has
been dangerous the day before we met
them local bloggers filmed a viral clip
of the mothers in confrontation with
police
foreign
as they made their way to a protest the
mothers received a disturbing message
we just got a text message from Eddie
one of the like mother women we just met
and she said that her husband was
attacked by the police this morning as
he was protesting here in Lima
[Music]
more
the treatment these mothers get on the
streets is a reflection of what some of
Lima's leaders think of them
foreign
the language used against these women is
representative of a racist divide
between Lima and the countryside that
goes back to Spain's conquest of
indigenous Nations
social sciences at the National
University of Delta Plano in rural Peru
distance is
foreign
in unan Province about 800 miles south
of Lima the government and mining
companies have claimed the natural
wealth of the indigenous Countryside
profited from it since colonization
the 1993 Constitution protects that
practice which has led to Peru becoming
the world's second largest producer of
copper silver and zinc in one of Latin
America's fastest growing economies
but the wealth isn't trickling down
which is why people here are calling for
a new constitution
they've been on strike for months
blocking off highways roads and bridges
which have disrupted valuable mining
operations
[Music]
Felix Osaka is an indigenous ghetto
activist who's been advocating for his
people's rights for years
[Music]
so asaga says mining companies skirt
environmental regulations polluting the
land and water his people need to
survive
yes
foreign
Village is located at the end of a
heavily mined River Valley that feeds
into Lake titicaga a body of water that
holds deep spiritual significance and is
seen as the birthplace of indigenous
civilizations
part of the lake is now contaminated
with untreated sewage from a nearby City
and toxic chemicals from mining
operations Upstream
photos
every province in the country tested by
the Ministry of Health faces some degree
of heavy metal contamination from mining
it's a problem that affects one in three
peruvians but in Bruno Province it's 58
of the population in swazaka's Village
the numbers are even higher 83.5 percent
of people in guada have dangerous levels
of heavy metals in their blood
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[Music]
but when it runs out they have to draw
water from this well to cook
eliminated
so far the government has not conceded
to protesters demands for an early
election or revising the Constitution
Congressman Jose guerto acervi was an
admiral in the Peruvian Navy is served
as the head of the Armed Forces
foreign
person they elected president Castillo
to make reforms
but lawmakers in Lima not only
imprisoned him they have also introduced
legislation that will allow some
protesters to be charged with terrorism
with a minimum sentence of 20 years
that could be used against Wasaga who is
now being investigated for his role in
organizing protests
he denies any wrongdoing
yes
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