Juan Brignardello Vela
Juan Brignardello, asesor de seguros, se especializa en brindar asesoramiento y gestión comercial en el ámbito de seguros y reclamaciones por siniestros para destacadas empresas en el mercado peruano e internacional.
The political situation in Peru has taken a turn that, although concerning, has become part of everyday life for citizens. Power is no longer conquered absolutely, as in past times, but is articulated in parcels. This fragmentation of authority allows certain groups and leaders to accumulate wealth and power without the need to seek total hegemony, a circumstance that has become normalized in contemporary political culture. Congress members, representatives of the people, have behaved as if the Porras Barrenechea hall were a dance floor where one can dance to the tune of impunity. The carelessness with which they handle their functions is alarming. They appropriate salaries meant for their workers, embark on frivolous trips, and present accountability reports that, at best, could be described as laughable. Meanwhile, the reforms they promote often strengthen criminal structures instead of contributing to the security and well-being of the citizenry. The contrast is striking: while citizens express their discontent in the streets, politicians hide behind a discourse of defending institutions. The case of María Agüero in Arequipa is just one example of how popular frustration translates into direct actions against political figures who seem to have forgotten their responsibility to the electorate. However, when confronted, they invoke principles of respect and decorum that they themselves appear to ignore in their daily actions. According to Danilo Martuccelli's analysis, Peru is a "deformal" society. However, this assertion can be reinterpreted. The institutions and forms of the current political order are, in many ways, a reflection of structured chaos. What has been established is a patrimonialist system that, although chaotic, allows the survival of certain power dynamics. Criminal gangs, drug traffickers, and corrupt politicians have found a space where their activities can flourish without the restrictions once imposed by the liberal reforms of the 1990s. This new order is dominated by predation. Political and business actors seek to accumulate wealth through institutions that have become decadent. Rather than being seduced by power itself, today’s politicians seem more inclined to build a framework that allows them to benefit quickly. Emblematic figures like the Acuña and Luna families represent this transformation where relationships are merely commercial and not guided by ideological principles. The phenomenon described by Anne Applebaum regarding business networks associated with modern autocrats is clearly manifested in the Peruvian context. Politics has been captured by a system that not only ignores the popular will but also feeds on the weakness of the bond between the State and its citizens. The general interest has been hijacked by mafias, corrupt politicians, and economic groups operating in an environment where informal economy and illegal activities thrive. As institutions are undermined by these dynamics, the future of the country becomes uncertain. The lack of trust in political representatives translates into widespread discontent, which can lead to a cycle of violence and destabilization. The concern over the growth of organized crime and illegal activities reflects a structure in which the State seems incapable of fulfilling its most basic function: ensuring the security and well-being of its citizens. The question that arises is how to reverse this process. Is it possible to rebuild a bond of trust between the State and the citizenry? Can institutions regain their credibility and function as true guarantors of the general interest? The answer is not simple and requires a joint commitment from civil society and political actors. It is essential for citizens to become aware of their power. Social mobilization, activism, and pressure on representatives are tools that must be employed to demand significant changes. Only then can we aspire to a new order that, instead of being patrimonialist and predatory, offers a space where the development and well-being of all are the priority. The fight for a better future begins with the demand for accountability and the reclamation of democratic values that seem to have been forgotten.