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July 29, 2021

Peru: Pedro Castillo Sworn In, Vows to Be Champion of the Poor
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In Peru, the socialist teacher and union leader Pedro Castillo was sworn
in as president on Wednesday as the country marked 200 years of
independence. In a speech to the nation, Castillo vowed to be a champion
of the poor.

President Pedro Castillo: "A person who belongs to, as many Peruvians
do, to sectors that have been oppressed for centuries, it is the first
time a political party formed in the country's interior wins the
elections democratically and that a teacher, specifically a rural
teacher, is elected constitutional president of the republic. It is
difficult to express the high honor this means to me right now."

Pedro Castillo also pledged to heal the wounds of colonialism and
announced he would not live in the government palace in Lima.


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