A recent trip to Perú has resulted in the distribution of upwards of 20 copies of Challenge and multiple wide-ranging discussions about the state of the world, capitalism, and the possibility of a communist future. I found many workers here open to discussing how capitalism has failed them, and worked to lend a more global perspective to what here often seems like simply a dead-end world without hope.

Rekindling an old friendship has resulted in the possibility of a new Challenge network, and discussions with family and neighbors about the genocide in Gaza has opened channels of communication about the causes of these wars, corruption, racist exploitation, and how communism could actually solve these problems.

In honor of the first days of school, I was honored to participate in a fundraiser for a “Tent School” in Gaza (Carpa Escolar), organized by an Afro-Peruvian Jazz Sextet. A Peruvian Palestinian historian gave a very informative talk about the history of Palestine and current situation. In addition to a live audience, there were upwards of 150 people from all over the world tuning in virtually, and together we raised $5000, which is enough to keep this tent school running (including at least a meal a day) for a month, which of course demonstrates our monumental task ahead. In addition to distributing some newspapers at the event, in the Q&A I was able to bring international greetings and raise sharper issues of imperialism, capitalism, and class struggle (including comparisons with Dominican Republic/Haiti) and uniting the generations to learn from history to change this whole damned system.

Here there is surprising knowledge and interest in the US election, which I used as a jumping-off point to show that the true lever of change and promise exists outside the electoral system, in the (international) class struggle. For most workers I talked to, this is a breath of fresh air!

I also participated—too briefly!—in a demonstration condemning ex-president Alberto Fujimori, who died at the end of my trip. Workers gathered in Plaza San Martin in the center of Lima to denounce his racist, genocidal regime that was responsible for tens of thousands of workers’ deaths and an anti-communist killing spree in the 1990s. In spite of his murderous rule and long imprisonment for crimes against humanity, his funeral was still celebrated as a major event by sections of the ruling class. Even some workers lament how “the economy was better” when he was president because life has devolved here over the years (Perú had the highest per capita Covid death rate in the world).

Like the US, Perú has its own history of communism and anti-communism that we must study to understand how we can build our international movement here, like all over the world. But this trip is yet another reminder that the revolution and the fight for communism is worldwide.

One self-criticism: next trip, bring more newspapers! (I ran out.)