The Peruvian “caviar” evolution

In Peru, the term “caviar” is similar to “radical chic” or limousine liberal“ in the United states; or to “gauche caviar” in France; latte socialist in Ireland; “Salonkommunist” in Germany; Gucci communist” in Italy or Africa;  “Hippie with OSDE” in Argentina; “Bolly Bolshevik” in Russia; “Chardonnay Socialist” in Australia; and synonymous of  “Chavista” in Venezuela (Hugo Chavez followers). This term “Caviar” identifies a well off, stuck-up, refined, political character resulting

from the bad influence of the socialist governments between 2000 and 2018. The term was seated by Peruvian journalist Aldo Mariategui, the grandchild of political philosopher Jose Carlos Mariategui, when he started using it on 2010, while referring to left wing politicians as Javier Diez Canseco, Susana Villaran, Marco Arana and to the members of the local communist party “Patria Roja”, all pathetic sectors not reaching more than 1.5% of votes. (MARIÁTEGUI, 2010)

<Today the meaning of the term “caviar” has extended, initially considered a political character “of high status” thanks to his access to public funds, now with the growing number of cases of corruption in which these people have been involved, the term has been mixed with corrupt, and inside the corruption definitions.

<Since 2000, each of the government regimes belonging to the announced socialist reform has influenced negatively over their corresponding generations in Peru. Between 2000 and 2006 (government of presidents Paniagua and Toledo) the liberation of convicts sentenced for terrorism charges contributed negatively to the creation of diverse Marxist fronts, which increased the number of social conflicts against the same governments and against investment projects; during these years started to appear the called “juvenile Sicarios” (juvenile assassins); between 2001 and 2006,  (years of corruption on contracts held during the president Toledo government) increased the insecurity in Peru; between 2006 and 2011, (president Garcia government)  occurred the scandalous liberation of thousand of drug trafficking convicts; between 2011 and 2016 (Humala government) there were the scandalous cases of political funding to influence national electoral campaigns as well as government projects with money coming form Venezuela (Hugo Chavez- Nicolas Maduro) and from Brazil ( Lula socialist party – Odebrecht); and finally on 2017 (Kuczynski government) who just recently saved, from being vacated due to a lack of moral capacity charges, and thanks to the offering of freedom of convicted president Fujimori in exchange for votes favoring his stay.

<The announced socialist reform to end the 90s corruption during the Fujimori regimen was a fraud. In 2016, Fuad Koury, the country controller warned on a national corruption cancer in Peru, including thirteen thousand denounces against public officials with poor results, small amount of money recovered and hardly any arrested, with an official estimation of losses of three thousand million dollars annually. (DIARIO GESTIÓN, 2016)

<Today in 2018, with the denounces for corruption including the last three presidents, one of them (Toledo) fugitive in the United States; one on jail in Peru (Humala); and the last one facing impeachment for charges related to his lack of moral capacity, plus more than thirty regional and local public officials under investigation, the government pretends to carry on a “reconciliation plan” in which the society has no confidence on, due only look forward to evade the corruption responsibilities by all the accused.  

<The Peruvian caviar image is similar to the “Gucci communist” of European influence

According Paolo Fib Della Torre, the caviar image starts its history since the 70s in Italy, when the leaders of the Italian communist party exorcized themselves for his political and social activities, not with the Croix of Christ but adopting signs of respectability, using social class symbols with occidental influence.

The Italian communist leaders started to use Gucci shoes, Pucci ties, scoth fabrics, Aquascutum suits, civilized manners, calm conversations, a well worked international mentality, well traveled and well red, nothing in common with left wing party members at that time. (FIB DE LA TORRE, 1975)

<The caviar funding, similar to the “radical chic” USA way

According Andrew Hamiltong in the 70s, the book “Radical Chic & Mau-Mauing the Flak Catchers” by Tom Wolfe explains how radical colored groups, threatening the public order, at the way of the Mau Mau African tribe finished receiving funding from the North American federal government. In the same way the article “The party at Lennys” by Tom Wolfe published in the New York magazine, shows how opposition groups meet between adversaries to receive funds from the government for their radical activities. This article by Tom Wolfe, journalist and novelist is considered a classic and relates how Leonard “Lenny” Bernstein, a white homosexual Jew, collector of funds for the anti white league “Black Panthers” meeting with honor guests Donad Cox, Robert Bay, Henry Miller and some women of the black panthers.  Tom Wolfe describes the meeting as special one, between whites and blacks served by white South American waitress, one Chilean, one American, and one from Costa Rica. The conversations described by Wolfe during the meeting show that the militants of the black panthers knew few and are more interested in the funding. For Wolfe this meeting represented the liberal support of radicals promoted by intellectual Jews. (HAMILTON, 2014)

<The caviar goal is the same of the “limousine liberals”

Maybe the best explanation of the goal of the Peruvian caviar was made in 1965 by Steven Frasier in his article on the “Time” magazine entitled “This is the origin of the Limousine Liberals” which relates how Mario Procaccino, the Bronx major used the term to describe political characters considered privileged elites as John Lindsay, public official representing the silk sector or Fiorello LaGuardia, republican congressman, both leading causes in favor of colored people minorities, but without the minimum intention of taking responsibility for their needs, or for what they were hypocritically asking for in their demands. Procaccino adds, (and maybe a truth maintained up today) “these public officials live in exclusive neighborhoods, isolated from poverty, crime and social problems, making their money from the state and the tax, and for this reason, they use this politic of confrontation, just to avoid any situation threatening their actual conditions”. (FRASER, 2016)

< Do you want to combat the Caviar? Then do not elect and do not finance them.

In Peru, a caviar surviving as politicians is everywhere, inside the state, in the public sector, ministries, city halls, and in organizations supporting minorities. All of them are easily identifiable by their interests.  To combat them is simple. You don’t need to be immaculate, neither being rich nor poor, nor you do not require to work as Simon Wiesenthal, the Nazi hunter, who did not receive funding for not compromise his image. (WIESENTHAL, 1967, p. 7)

To combat the caviar simply “do not elect them as public officials” and if they are grouped inside an organization, “do not give them funds”.  On the contrary, they will survive, multiply and tray to impose their conditions to continue enjoying the status they have gathered, without helping anybody.

Bibliografía

DIARIO GESTIÓN. (18 de marzo de 2016). "Perú pierde por corrupción estatal unos US$ 3,000millones al año, estima Contraloría". (AFP, Ed.) DIARIO GESTIÓN.

FIB DE LA TORRE, P. (28 de junio de 1975). "The Gucci Communists". Recuperado el 04 de enero de 2018, de http://archive.spectator.co.uk/: http://archive.spectator.co.uk/article/28th-june-1975/10/the-gucci-communists

FRASER, S. (10 de mayo de 2016). "This Is Where the Term 'Limousine Liberal' Comes From". TIME.

HAMILTON, A. (01 de agosto de 2014). "Revisiting Tom Wolfe’s Radical Chic (1970)". Recuperado el 04 de enero de 2018, de COUNTER-CURRENTS PUBLISHING Books against Time: https://www.counter-currents.com/2014/08/revisiting-tom-wolfes-radical-chic-1970/

MARIÁTEGUI, A. (16 de abril de 2010). "Aldo Mariátegui: "Nuestra izquierda, esa buena m...". El Comercio.

WIESENTHAL, S. (1967). "Los asesinos entre nosotros. Memorias" (Segunda Edición abril de 1967 ed.). (M. L. BORRAS, Trad.) Barcelona, Cataluña, España: Editorial Noguer S.A.