Page 12 - AT

A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 20 december 2019
In a first, Peruvian with Down syndrome runs for parliament

By FRANKLIN BRICEÑO "I learned how to read and
Associated Press write, walk, run and eat,
LIMA, Peru (AP) — Bryan basically to respect myself,"
Russell has Down syndrome the candidate has written.
and does daily speech ex- "Well this is really impressive,
ercises, putting pens and because Bryan is chang-
corks in his mouth to help ing the history and that is
build up low muscle tone the most important thing,"
there. He is also waging a said Gladys Mujica, Russell's
longshot bid to become a mother.Mujica, an English
national Peruvian lawmak- teacher, described her son
er, going door to door in as a "symbol."
Lima to ask for votes. Some Peruvians are open
Russell, 27, wants to use his to Russell's campaigning,
campaign to raise aware- which consists on a normal
ness about people with day of handing out leaflets
developmental disabili- while carrying a sign with
ties and he says he repre- an image of his face.
sents an alternative to the "He's looking to do his
scourge of corruption in best. The 'normal' people
Peru that has brought down try to steal from the coun-
presidents and weakened try. That's a very big differ-
democratic institutions. ence," said Carlos Maza,
"I'm someone clean, hon- In this Dec. 13, 2019 photo, Bryan Russell takes a call as he campaigns for Congress in Lima, Peru. a retired man who said he
est, transparent," Russell Associated Press would vote for Russell.
said in an interview with The "We have to give him a
Associated Press. He spoke gress in Peru," said Michelle stead taking over the post paign ahead of the Jan. chance," said Elena Saave-
while sitting next to Amor, Sie Whitten, president and after her predecessor re- 26 parliamentary elections dra, a secretary who shook
a pet dog he rescued from CEO of the foundation. "As signed because of corrup- is getting attention. He was the candidate's hand.
the street. The purpose far as we know, he is the tion allegations. invited to speak at a left- About 3 million Peruvians
of politicking, he said, is first professional who has Down syndrome is a genet- ist forum where he asked have some kind of disability
to "break the paradigm" Down syndrome running for ic abnormality that causes people to fight for people in a country of more than
that people with Down a publicly elected office, developmental delays and like him, regardless of politi- 30 million, according to offi-
syndrome can't be inde- and he is showing the world medical conditions such as cal leanings. cial figures. There is no data
pendent. Russell may be that we need diversity in all heart defects and respira- "I want people with my for the number of Peruvi-
the first person with Down areas of society including tory and hearing problems. condition to have a voice," ans with Down syndrome,
syndrome to run for public in our governments." Russell is a candidate for said Russell, who studied though historian Liliana Pe-
office anywhere, accord- In 2013, Ángela Bachiller, Peru-Nacion, a center- communications at the ñaherrera, founder of the
ing to the Global Down who has Down syndrome, right party that is not widely Peruvian San Ignacio de Peruvian Society for Down
Syndrome Foundation. became a city councilor known and has fared poor- Loyola University and said Syndrome, estimates there
"We are thrilled that Bryan in Valladolid, Spain. But she ly in past elections. How- his parents encouraged could be up to 25,000 peo-
Russell is running for Con- didn't run for election, in- ever, Russell's bold cam- him to find his own way. ple with the condition.q

UN Mexico rights office criticizes government on Mayan Train

By PETER ORSI asked about those poten- ished communities.
Associated Press tial impacts and did not re- The train would travel some
MEXICO CITY (AP) — The ceive a clear or complete 950 miles (1,525 kilome-
Mexico office of the U.N. answer. ters) around the Yucatan
High Commissioner for Hu- "The lack of studies on the Peninsula and down into
man Rights issued a string impacts or their lack of dif- the southernmost state of
of criticisms Thursday of the fusion makes it hard for Chiapas, from cities and
government's handling of people to define their po- beach resorts to pristine
consultations with indig- sition on the project in a jungle and ancient Mayan
enous communities over fully informed manner," the ruins. There are environ-
a planned megaproject office said in a statement. mental and development
known as the Mayan Train "Nonetheless, authorities concerns surrounding the
in the country's southeast. In this March 18, 2019 file photo, Rogelio Jiménez Pons, director advanced to the consulta- project, however.
The agency, which said its of Fonatur, points to a map of a planned train line through the tion stage of the process." The U.N. office also high-
observers attended a num- Yucatan Peninsula, during an interview in Mexico City. A spokesperson for López lighted other problems with
ber of regional assemblies Associated Press Obrador's administration the consultations such as
in late November and De- did not immediately re- community members ex-
cember, applauded Mex- dollar project that Presi- dards on human rights." spond to a message seek- pressing support for the
ico for its stated intent of dent Andrés Manuel López The office said that during ing comment on the U.N. train in hopes that would
respecting and protecting Obrador said gave over- the assemblies, observers findings. The president has win them benefits such as
indigenous rights and for whelming support to the noted that only possible touted the Mayan Train, jobs, homes or education,
the fact that the consulta- proposal, the U.N. office benefits of the project were one of his core promises despite officials' reassur-
tions took place before the found that the consulta- mentioned and not "nega- from the 2018 presidential ances to them that eco-
project's execution. tions were flawed and the tive impacts" that could be campaign, as a major ef- nomic, social and cultural
But days after a referen- process "has not complied caused. On multiple occa- fort to lift up some of the rights were not conditioned
dum on the multibillion- with all international stan- sions, it said, participants country's most impover- on such support. q