Peruvians march in Lima against Marco Rubio's visit and 'Shield of the Americas'

Hundreds of people marched through the streets of central Lima on Wednesday night to protest the arrival of United States Secretary of State Marco Rubio, in a demonstration that drew participants from across Peru's political and social spectrum.

Organisers and attendees included members of political parties, non-governmental organisations, Christian groups and supporters of the Palestinian cause, reflecting a broad coalition rather than a single movement. Riot police were deployed along the route as the march moved through the capital.

Protesters carried placards, including one that read "Get out of Peru, Marco Rubio!", while chants in Spanish rejected any suggestion of foreign influence over the country's affairs. "We don't want to be a US colony, and we're not in the mood for it," demonstrators shouted as they walked.

Soledad Lozano, one of those taking part, said the decision over Peru's international alignments belonged to its citizens alone. "We have said that Peru is nobody's colony and is not the back garden of any country in the world; we are citizens and therefore it is we, the Peruvian people, who decide who we align ourselves with and what agreements we enter into," she said.

Pastor Luis Perez framed the gathering as both a protest against the visit and an expression of solidarity with Palestinians. "This is a time for protest; it is a time when the people, united regardless of their ideologies, are taking to the streets to say 'Marco Rubio, get out!' and also to show solidarity with the Palestinian people," he said.

Another demonstrator, Carmen Espinoza, said the presence of the US official in Peru was itself the reason for the mobilisation. "Marco Rubio, a U.S. official, has arrived in Peru today and what he wants is for Peru to become his colony; that is why we are here protesting, rejecting the visit of an enemy of Peru," she said.

The protesters also voiced opposition to Peru's participation in the "Shield of the Americas", an initiative Rubio announced before setting out on his South American tour. During the trip, the Secretary of State met with Colombian President Abelardo de la Espriella and Ecuador's Danien Noboa.