Paulo Drinot interviews Peruvian vice-presidential candidate on the future of the left in Peru

Pedro Castillo was sworn in as president of Peru on July 28 2021 after a weeks-long counting period. Representing the Perú Libre (Free Peru) party, Castillo is a teacher and union leader who has never held public office. Castillo beat right-wing politician Keiko Fujimori. She fought for six weeks after the second round of voting, alleging fraud, which was never proven. The inauguration marks an important shift in Peru, as a rural leader, despised by the Lima elite, takes office. Paulo Drinot, professor of Latin American history at University College London, interviewed José de Echave, who ran as vice president on the ticket of Verónika Mendoza of the Juntos por el Perú (Together for Peru) party on the meaning of the elections and prospects for the Left going forward. Drinot is de Echave's nephew.

The interview, for the North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA), appeared on its website on July 29 2021. You can read it in full here.

Professor Paulo Drinot

Paulo Drinot studied economic history at the London School of Economics as an undergraduate and an MPhil in Latin American Studies and a DPhil in Modern History at Oxford. He is Professor of Latin American History at the Institute of the Americas, University College London (UCL)

Links:

Professor Paulo Drinot | academic profile

Link to interview in full | webpage

North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA) | website

Images:

[top] Pedro Castillo at an electoral rally ©Getty Images

[bottom] Professor Paulo Drinot