Racism

Racism here seems similar and different from the U.S. I've been told, and believe, that the racism against indigenous people is stronger than that against the Afro-Peruvian population. It's true, people see the glory of the Incas as something positive in an anthro/arqueological sense, but most mestizos (or cholos) don't connect to themselves and their heritage in a way that promotes pride, especially because the descendants of the Andean/Incan civilizations are alive! and have been methodically deprived of their lands and livelihood, hand-in-hand as they were denigrated by the ruling class (of Spanish descent which then embraced other European immigrants). It's not even like Mexico, where there is lipservice to the heritage of the Aztec empire, etc., even though the actual, living indigenous people are mistreated. I've been told that the movements of indigenous people are stronger in Bolivia and Ecuador, although I'm not sure why really.

Recently, a fancy discotheque in the exclusive Larcomar shopping center was fined for not admitting non-white patrons. A sting operation was set up by the police where first a cholo couple showed up and was told that they needed to be in a special "invited-guests only" list to gain admission to the establishment. Then, a while later a white couple was readily admitted though they were not in any list nor were connected to the establishment in any way (they were part of the sting operation!). It's amazing the extent to which on TV and print advertising all you see are white faces when more than half of the population is indigenous.