The Socialist Party (
Spanish: ''Partido Socialista'') is a
Peru
, image_flag = Flag of Peru.svg
, image_coat = Escudo nacional del Perú.svg
, other_symbol = Great Seal of the State
, other_symbol_type = Seal (emblem), National seal
, national_motto = "Fi ...
vian political party founded in 2005. Its presidential candidate for the
2006 national election was
Javier Diez Canseco
Javier Diez Canseco Cisneros (March 24, 1948 – May 4, 2013) was a Peruvian politician and member of the Peruvian Congress representing the Socialist Party of Peru (PS), of which he was a founding member and also served as its Party President ...
. At the
legislative
A legislature is an assembly with the authority to make laws for a political entity such as a country or city. They are often contrasted with the executive and judicial powers of government.
Laws enacted by legislatures are usually known as p ...
elections held on 9 April 2006, the party won 1.2% of the popular vote but no seats in the
Congress of the Republic.
At the
2011 general election, the party was part of the successful alliance
Peru Wins, led by
Ollanta Humala
Lieutenant colonel Ollanta Moisés Humala Tasso (; born 27 June 1962) is a Peruvian politician and former military officer who served as President of Peru from 2011 to 2016. Originally a socialist and left-wing nationalist, he is considered t ...
. Its founder, Javier Diez Canseco, became a congressman for Lima.
History
The Socialist Party traces its origins to the
Mariateguist Unified Party
Mariateguist Unified Party (in Spanish: ''Partido Unificado Mariateguista – PUM'') was a political party in Peru founded in 1984 by Revolutionary Vanguard (VR), Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR), Workers Revolutionary Party (PRT) and a sector ...
, a member of the
United Left coalition. The party eventually disappeared in the aftermath of the
1995 general election. Among its leaders,
Javier Diez Canseco
Javier Diez Canseco Cisneros (March 24, 1948 – May 4, 2013) was a Peruvian politician and member of the Peruvian Congress representing the Socialist Party of Peru (PS), of which he was a founding member and also served as its Party President ...
rose as the most prominent of the left-leaning members of the
Peruvian Congress
The Congress of the Republic of Peru ( es, Congreso de la República) is the unicameral body that assumes legislative power in Peru.
Congress' composition is established by Chapter I of Title IV of the Constitution of Peru. Congress is compose ...
during the
Alberto Fujimori
Alberto Kenya Fujimori Inomoto ( or ; born 28 July 1938) is a Peruvian politician, professor and former engineer who was President of Peru from 28 July 1990 until 22 November 2000. Frequently described as a dictator,
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he remains a ...
's second term as
President of Peru. The Fujimori administration had demonized the Peruvian left since 1992, as it associated with the
Shining Path
The Shining Path ( es, Sendero Luminoso), officially the Communist Party of Peru (, abbr. PCP), is a communist Guerrilla warfare, guerrilla group in Peru following Marxism–Leninism–Maoism and Gonzalo Thought. Academics often refer to the gro ...
. Under these circumstances, the moderate left rallied behind
Union for Peru
Union for Peru ( es, Unión por el Perú) was a Peruvian political party founded by Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, an ex- UN Secretary General, in 1994 to run for the Presidency of Peru in the 1995 general elections. Originally a social democratic pa ...
in order to maintain status in the political scene.
The events surrounding Fujimori's reelection at the
2000 general election curtailed the administration, as the Peruvian left rose again in the opposition. With
Alan García
Alan Gabriel Ludwig García Pérez (; 23 May 1949 – 17 April 2019) was a Peruvian politician who served as President of Peru
The president of Peru ( es, link=no, presidente del Perú), officially called the president of the Republic of ...
of the
Peruvian Aprista Party returning to Peru in order to run for the presidency at the
2001 general election, the left had no choice but to support him against the more centrist
Alejandro Toledo.
Union for Peru
Union for Peru ( es, Unión por el Perú) was a Peruvian political party founded by Javier Pérez de Cuéllar, an ex- UN Secretary General, in 1994 to run for the Presidency of Peru in the 1995 general elections. Originally a social democratic pa ...
attained 6 seats in the
Peruvian Congress
The Congress of the Republic of Peru ( es, Congreso de la República) is the unicameral body that assumes legislative power in Peru.
Congress' composition is established by Chapter I of Title IV of the Constitution of Peru. Congress is compose ...
, among them one for
Javier Diez Canseco
Javier Diez Canseco Cisneros (March 24, 1948 – May 4, 2013) was a Peruvian politician and member of the Peruvian Congress representing the Socialist Party of Peru (PS), of which he was a founding member and also served as its Party President ...
.
In 2005, Diez Canseco announced his intention to run for
President of Peru at the
2006 general election under a new party based on the disappeared
Mariateguist Unified Party
Mariateguist Unified Party (in Spanish: ''Partido Unificado Mariateguista – PUM'') was a political party in Peru founded in 1984 by Revolutionary Vanguard (VR), Revolutionary Left Movement (MIR), Workers Revolutionary Party (PRT) and a sector ...
. On 15 October 2005, the Socialist Party was founded, and in the subsequent months Diez Canseco was chosen as the presidential nominee. At the
general election
A general election is a political voting election where generally all or most members of a given political body are chosen. These are usually held for a nation, state, or territory's primary legislative body, and are different from by-elections ( ...
held on 9 April 2006, the party won 1.2% of the popular vote but no seats in the
Congress of the Republic. The presidential ticket itself attained 0.4%, placing ninth nationally.
As the party failed to pass the electoral threshold, it lost its registration at the National Elections Jury 2007. For the
2011 general election, the party was included in the
Peru Wins coalition led by
Ollanta Humala
Lieutenant colonel Ollanta Moisés Humala Tasso (; born 27 June 1962) is a Peruvian politician and former military officer who served as President of Peru from 2011 to 2016. Originally a socialist and left-wing nationalist, he is considered t ...
as the presidential nominee. Diez Canseco was elected to the Congress for 2011–2016 term, but died in 2013.
In 2012, Cesar Acurio Zavala, an engineer, a historical activist of mariateguism, was elected as Secretary General; and as Sub-Secretary General the former student leader of the UNMSM and deputy for the Unified Mariateguist Party, Julio Castro Gómez.
Ideology
The party is based on ''Mariateguismo'', a thought developed by
José Carlos Mariátegui
José Carlos Mariátegui La Chira (June 14, 1894 - April 16, 1930) was a Peruvian writer, journalist, politician and Marxist–Leninist philosopher.
A prolific author despite his early death, El Amauta (from Quechua: hamawt'a, "teacher", a nam ...
and the original construction of socialism in Peru based on the Peruvian reality. The Socialist Party advocates for participatory democracy, with effective decentralization, strengthening of social organizations, etc.
In addition, the party is in favor of the nationalization of natural resources, the change of the productive matrix, sustainable development, defense of human rights and the historical demands of workers, women, youth, indigenous people, and all oppressed groups. On a more
green left
The term green left refers primarily to a political affiliation that combines elements of green politics and left-wing politics in countries where the term is used. It is primarily a social justice and human rights oriented ideology, with an expa ...
platform, the party advocates for measures against environmental problems, and climate change. The party's ultimate goal is to forge a classless, diverse and creative society.
Structure and composition
The Socialist Party is mainly composed of a National Executive Committee organized in secretariats, such as program, regional affairs, environment, municipal, women, social movements, human movements and the youth wing. In March 2008, the Socialist Party called for a leadership election through the procedure of one member one vote, a pioneer in the Peruvian left.
Electoral results
Presidential election
Election to the Congress of the Republic
References
External links
Official website{{Peruvian political parties
2005 establishments in Peru
Democratic socialist parties in South America
Foro de São Paulo
Political parties established in 2005
Political parties in Peru
Socialist parties in Peru