“There is no impeachment in the House of Representatives and even less punishment for harassment”
Avelino Guillén, former prosecutor and former interior minister
They commit a series of crimes with complete certainty that nothing will happen to them. They are convinced that the crimes they have committed will not result in criminal consequences.
This is confirmed by the fact that there is no indictment or even a verdict in the State Department in connection with the crime of harassment that they have committed repeatedly for several years.
Their belief that nothing will happen to them is so great that they announce the date, time and place where they will commit the crime. And then they send videos celebrating their actions. And the police watch the crime being committed without taking any action, although they attack the premises of the Institute of Legal Defense and Rosa María Palacios.
And they are supported by several parties with seats in the Congress of the Republic. Therefore, they are confident that their behavior will not result in a criminal conviction.
The Ministry of State bears responsibility because it gives the impression that it does not see these incidents as crimes but as a kind of freedom to express one's anger, which is not the case. In this case, harassment is defined because it is a continuous, repeated act of harassing, stalking, insulting, and attributing wrongful behavior to a person. Bullying causes significant damage to people's mental health.
“You have economic financing”
Gisela Ortiz, relative of La Cantuta and former Minister of Culture
They have networks that can reach the top police because they are not acting as they should to arrest them in the act. It seems that there is an order from above to protect “the resistance” and other similar groups. That's why they operate in different districts: in Miraflores, in front of Rosa María Palacios' house; in San Isidro, in front of the IDL; in Lince in front of the National Human Rights Coordinator; in Jesús María, before Aprodeh. For this level of inattention on the part of the police, there must be a higher command throughout Lima telling them, “Do nothing.”
The other thing is that they have economic financing. You always see the same group of people going out during working hours to carry out sit-ins and actions that are not intended to express their opinions, but to insult, defame and attack, physically and psychologically. This is how they work. So far it has not been possible to determine who finances them, although there is a very friendly relationship with some political sectors, such as Fujimori and Renovación Popular. They were seen in photos on social networks with leaders of these parties.
The concrete thing is that they have felt strengthened and emboldened by the impunity with which they have acted in recent years, even to attack public places such as the Place of Remembrance or the Ojo que Llora and to try to prevent the presentation of linked books human rights.
“They are protected by forces of great power.”
Gloria Cano, lawyer at Aprodeh
They are protected by forces with great power in Congress, the executive branch, and even at the local level.
They commit different types of crimes: harassment, violating public peace. In the case of Gustavo Gorriti, harassment occurs because attempts are made to intimidate him and prevent him from developing normally as a journalist and as a human being. They try to carry a social stigma to prevent their right to travel.
The measures against Aprodeh were not as persistent as those of the IDL, but when there were such, we reported it to the police and the Ministry of State, but for the latter, unfortunately, “La Resistencia” is not a criminal organization, but a gang. and that's why they referred the case to a joint prosecutor's office.
The sub-prefecture gave me guarantees because when this group approached the office, they brought my photo and made insults and threats against my integrity. I requested the guarantees so that they would not affect my peace of mind and my professional work. Now that the sub-prefecture has notified the Ministry of Interior, I hope that the police will intervene if they contact them again, because they have never done so before.
The community doesn't take action either. If I go out and make the same noise as these groups, they will certainly fine me, but nothing will happen to them.
“Despite the openness, the police and public prosecutor’s office are not doing their job”
Juan José Quispe, IDL lawyer
It’s not just “The Resistance.” A group of people calling themselves “The Combatants,” “Democrats,” and others have formed and are acting with impunity despite the presence of the police. And unlike social protests, they will not be removed, even though they are militant groups and Gustavo Gorriti has a precautionary measure from the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.
There is a violation of the state. “La Resistencia” came to the IDL six times in January and two in February. The police do not intervene, although there is systematic and coordinated harassment by these people who come to the facility at any time and utter slanderous phrases, calling us terrorists and criminals. And that goes beyond the right to protest.
Despite the openness of the crime, the police and the anti-crime prosecutor's office are not doing their job. The best thing they did, and at our request, was to do an identity check on four of the 15 people who came and wore masks last Monday when they came. Rather, they asked us to enter the institution and not to leave because we were provoking them while they were hindering freedom of movement. In the absence of an express provision from the boss, such as the Interior Minister or the police commander, the troops will continue to allow them to shout phrases that are discriminatory or contrary to moral integrity, leading to blatant systematic harassment.