With a confrontational speech and heavy-handed promises, the presidential candidate Rafael Lopez Aliaga (Popular Renewal) closed his campaign last Thursday, at a rally near Campo de Marte, in Jesús María.
López Aliaga reached that point after weeks of touring Lima and regions, in a campaign that combined caravans, visits to markets and rallies in popular areas, in his second attempt to reach the Government Palace.
During his closing rally, he attacked his rivals in the presidential race, as well as the Public Ministry, the Judiciary and the press. He accused the latter of being complicit in corruption and of “betraying Peru.” “As of July 28, they line up with me,” he said.
The presidential candidate focused his final speech on citizen insecurity, the advance of crime and what he described as the ineffectiveness of the State. In this framework, he proposed the “immediate deportation” of undocumented Venezuelan citizens, the acquisition of telephone interception equipment under the concept of “legal chuponeo” and that, “by decree of the Presidency”, criminals captured in flagrante delicto be subjected to military justice.
Furthermore, he insisted on his proposal to reduce the number of ministries from 18 to six. “To all the lazy people, to all the people that César Acuña has hired, go home,” he assured.
He also proposed leaving the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, as he has insisted throughout his campaign.
“We have to withdraw in two legislatures. And if it is necessary to impose a life sentence and death penalty, we will impose it. But the death penalty will be by referendum,” he said. However, the Constitution establishes that the suppression or reduction of fundamental human rights cannot be submitted to a referendum.
Lima, Thursday, March 9. Campaign closing rally of the Renovación Popular political party on Avenida de la Peruanidad. Photo: Julio Reaño / GEC
/ JULIO REAÑO
Before leading the rally in Jesús María, he toured Ventanilla in a caravan with his candidate for the first vice presidency, Congresswoman Norma Yarrow.
Shortly afterward he moved to San Juan de Miraflores, where he led a rally accompanied by his candidate for the second vice presidency, Jhon Ramos Malpica.
In his most recent interventions, he has reiterated that, if he becomes President, he will personally assume leadership of the National Police. This time, from Jesús María, he promised to eliminate the Barbadillo prison and send the former presidents who are held there to the jungle.
The emphasis on a strong hand was always accompanied by a confrontational tone. He recently responded with insults to opponents who threw eggs at him during a rally in Andahuaylas.
