Guest Commentators

Medea Benjamin and Leonardo Flores, CODEPINK

BC guest commentators: Medea Benjamin (@medeabenjamin) is co-founder of the peace group CODEPINK and an author of books on the Middle East and Latin America. Leonardo Flores (@leo_elo_ole) is a Latin American policy expert and campaigner with CODEPINK.

2 pieces

Guest Commentary

Rural Teacher Pedro Castillo Poised To Write a New Chapter in Peru’s History

By Medea Benjamin and Leonardo Flores, CODEPINK Guest Commentators

Castillo’s victory will be remarkable not only because he is a leftist teacher who is the son of illiterate peasants and his campaign was grossly outspent by Fujimori, but there was a relentless propaganda attack against him that touched on historical fears of Peru’s middle class and elites.

With his wide-brimmed peasant hat and oversized teacher’s pencil held high, Peru’s Pedro Castillo has been traveling the country exhorting voters to get behind a call…

Continue reading 7 min

Guest Commentary

The Dirty Campaign Underlying Ecuador’s “Free and Fair” Election

By Medea Benjamin and Leonardo Flores, CODEPINK Guest Commentators

In the coming years, Ecuador’s Citizens Revolution will have to use this time to regroup, repair frayed relations with indigenous and union groups, and build a strong social base of support.

Ecuador’s April 11 election that led to a 5-point victory by conservative banker Guillermo Lasso over progressive candidate Andrés Arauz was not what it appeared to…

Continue reading 8 min