| La Resistencia Dios, Patria y Familia | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Founder | Juan José Muñico |
| Foundation | December 2018 (2018-12)[1] |
| Country | Peru |
| Groups |
|
| Motives |
|
| Headquarters | Lima |
| Ideology | Fujimorism Conservatism (Peruvian) Anti-communism Right-wing populism Factions: Neo-fascism (disputed) |
| Political position | Right-wing[2] tofar-right[3] |
| Slogan | God, Homeland and Family |
| Major actions | Direct action Community organizing Harassment Digital activism Picketing Political violence Protest marching Counter-protest |
| Status | Active |
| Part of | Frente Popular Democrático[4] |
| Allies |  CMHNTM Popular Force Popular Renewal |
| Website | laresistenciaperu |
La Resistencia Dios, Patria y Familia (English:The Resistance God, Homeland and Family), commonly known asLa Resistencia, is afar-rightcollective that promotesFujimorism in Peru.
Ultraconservative groups began to emerge in Peru around 2017 when proposals to introducegender studies to education curricula occurred.[5] La Resistencia was founded in 2018 by Juan José Muñico, a politician ofPopular Renewal who had reportedly been involved in the murder of a veteran of theCenepa War in 1998.[6][7] The organization began as a platform to supportKeiko Fujimori, the daughter ofAlberto Fujimori and leader ofPopular Force.[8] Fujimori at the time served as the head of theCongress of Peru during the administration ofPedro Pablo Kuczynski, attracting La Resistencia since she held much of the political power in Peru.[6] Members of the group were seen associating themselves with Popular Force politicianRosa Bartra.[8]
Following the dissolution of theCongress of Peru by PresidentMartín Vizcarra during the2019 Peruvian constitutional crisis, La Resistencia's support would decline slightly towards Keiko Fujimori, with the group instead beginning to support far-right politicianRafael López Aliaga and theNational Solidarity party, which would later be restructured asPopular Renewal.[8] During the2020 Peruvian parliamentary election, Muñico and Rosa Batra would both run unsuccessfully for a seat in Congress on the National Solidarity ticket.[8]
During the2020 Peruvian protests, La Resistencia acted against protesters, destroying a makeshift memorial dedicated to two demonstrators killed.[3]
During the2021 Peruvian general election, Muñico threatened multiple groups that he alleged supported presidential candidatePedro Castillo according toLa República, stating "We are already pointing towards all those politicians, vacant presidents, opinionologists, NGOs, influencers, etc. who, knowing the danger of the country and our children are supporting the communist candidate. When the danger passes, we will remember it in their own homes..."[9] After Castillo was elected, La Resistencia said that the voting was fraudulent and supportedKeiko Fujimori's claims.[10] On 2 July 2021, Sagasti would refuse to audit the second round of elections; Fujimori would accuse Sagasti of abandoning his "great responsibility to ensure fair elections."[11] Days later on 14 July 2021, hundreds of members of La Resistencia members attempted to storm theGovernment Palace in a similar manner to theJanuary 6 United States Capitol attack, surrounding the vehicles of ministers ofÓscar Ugarte andSolangel Fernández and attacking journalists, though La Resistencia was successfully repelled by authorities.[5][8][10][12] Fujimori would admit her defeat on 19 July 2021, though she would continue saying that "votes were stolen" from her.[13] By October 2021, Fujimori began to distance herself from the group.[14]
During the presidency ofPedro Castillo, the group called for his ousting, with La Resistencia leader Juan José Muñico stating:[10]
"What Peru needs is an extreme right-wing government. In the Government we live in now, ... have taken over the Judiciary, the Prosecutor's Office, the Constitutional Court, the National Elections Jury. What we need is a strong government, which is not willing to give in anywhere. ... If our destiny is prison, then we will continue to do our activities in the streets"
After Castillo called for theOrganization of American States to intervene in November 2022 followingnumerous attempts to remove him from office, members of La Resistencia protested against the delegation of the OAS High Level Group in San Isidro and were dispersed by police following attacks.[15]
Whilewidespread protests against PresidentDina Boluarte occurred, La Resistencia members gathered outside of the headquarters ofIDL-Reporteros, the home of its chief journalistGustavo Gorriti and the home of journalistRosa María Palacios ofLa República.[16] Nearby members of thePeruvian National Police watched on as members of La Resistencia attacked the IDL headquarters by throwing objects and explosives at the building while also issuingantisemitic statements and death threats towards Gorriti.[17][18] TheCommittee to Protect Journalists condemned the actions of La Resistencia for its actions of intimidating journalists.[16]
La Resistencia isFujimorist organization that identifies withanti-communism andfar-right politics.[10]The Times of Israel accused said group asantisemitic after attacks towards Peruvian-Jewish journalistGustavo Gorriti outside of his home.[19]
Its members include current and retired military officers of thePeruvian Armed Forces who have been described as violentshock troops of the far-right in Peru.[8][3][16][4] The group spreadanti-lockdown andanti-vaccine sentiments during theCOVID-19 pandemic in Peru while also promotinganti-LGBT violence andviolence against women.[5][8][3] Members have been seen using fascist symbolism, wearingblack uniforms, using theswastika, waving theCross of Burgundy and gesturing thefascist salute at events.[4][20] The organization also has two sub-groups; Los Combatientes (The Combatants) and Los Insurgentes (The Insurgents).[5][10] These two branches have been observed on social media disseminatingdisinformation,fake news and fascist imagery, according toPúblico.[5][8] The leader of Los Combatientes, Roger Ayachi, has been observed making violent speeches according toLa Tercera.[4]
The ideology and rhetoric ofLa Resistencia' are fundamentally characterized by an strong opposition tocommunism,[21] ideology which the organization views as "anti-patriotic" and an "anti-constitutional" threat that seeks to dismantle Peruvian democratic institutions and hand the country over theSão Paulo Forum, which the organization describes as “communist”. According to journalist Joseph Zarate,La Resistencia is the most organized and violentanti-communist group inLima, which manifests its posture through marches and protests.[22] Juan José Múñico, founder of La Resistencia and a self-described ‘far-right anti-communist’ activist, has called for the 'extermination of communists' and to rise up inrebellion against the government ofPedro Castillo, in October 2021.[10]
The anti-communist posture ofLa Resistencia was reinforced during the presidency of Castillo in 2021, when the organization coordinated protests in order to depose him from office, alleging fraud during the presidential elections in June and accusing his administration as ‘usurper’ and ‘terrorist’.[22] According to sociologist Carmen Rosa Balbi,[5] the triumph of Castillo in the 2021 elections is seen by members ofLa Resistencia as a revival ofMarxism-Leninism andMariateguismo in the Peruvian political scene. According to Tirso Molinari, the organization lacks a concrete ideological position beyond itsMcCarthyist posture.[1]
The organization has been described independently as 'neofascist' by some observers, includingIDL-Reporteros[6] and theNew Left Review,[23] with sociologist Carmen Rosa Balbi describing that such radicalization had not been observed in Peru since the 1930s.[5] Juan José Muñico, leader of the organization, asserts that the organization’s doctrinal framework isn’t inspired on fascism.[10] However, some of its members have emulated theRoman salute in its public appearances.[10][3][4]
Because of its strong anti-communist stance, critics ofLa Resistencia has labelled its members as ‘fascists’ and holding a 'McCarthyist' posture.[1] However, historian Tirso Molinari has been critical of said label, asserting that although they have common traits with fascism, such as theiranti-immigration and anti-leftist positions, the group should be better described as aright-wing populist organization, and urges caution with such classifications, followingEmilio Gentile’s advise.[1] Some journalists have also questioned said characterization, such asAldo Mariátegui, who stated that "accusing the so lost and fragileDina Boluarte or the horde of 'La Resistencia' of being 'fascists' is either ignorant or demagogic".[24] Carlos Cabanillas, fromPerú 21, has also criticized said label, regarding that certain elements on the Peruvianleft-wing have "sought to portray a handful of unruly individuals as afascist cell".[25]
La Asociación Civil La Resistencia es identificada como una agrupación de derecha y se le ha vinculado con Fuerza Popular, hecho que ha sido negado por sus dirigentes.
La Resistencia es un grupo derecha, fue registrado como asociación civil.
...entre simpatizantes de Perú Libre y miembros del grupo derechista denominado "La Resistencia".
El Ministerio de Cultura (Mincul) se pronunció sobre la reunión que mantuvo el último lunes con la agrupación de derecha 'La Resistencia'.
The deaths of the two young men led to a dispute over public space that prefigured the following months: the memorials erected spontaneously by citizens were repeatedly razed to the ground by the pro-Fujimori group La Resistencia, a far-right shock troop that months later would boast of shouting "no to communism" with the fascist gesture of the raised right arm during the second round between Keiko Fujimori (Fuerza Popular) and Pedro Castillo (Perú Libre).
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)neofascist groups like La Resistencia, with close ties to the fujimorista movement, have sought to intimidate government ministers, independent journalists and feminist activists.