Photos courtesy of Andina
By H. Nelson Goodson
March 16, 2014
Lima, Peru - On early Saturday, an estimated 500 police officers, local government elected officials and members of the federal attorney general office invaded La Parada Wholesale Market and watched the demolition of all the surrounding buildings due to a rat infestation and massive dumping ground for garbage at the locality. Some of the business merchants threw rocks and bottles at authorities, but no major injuries were reported.
Bulldozers and other heavy equipment was used to demolish the buildings and remove garbage. An estimated 59 tons of garbage was removed.
Lima Mayor Suana Villarán in a press conference before the clean-up demolition operation began said, it was not an eviction of the local merchants, but a health risk sanitary clean-up to ensure a rat and garbage free zone.
The city of Lima had been working to redevelop the area for several decades and a green park that be named "Immigrant Park" will be created instead. No city data has been released, if the green park would replace the economic boost it had for the low income population in the area other then, it will be a green park.
Villarán didn't mention, if the dislocated merchants would be allowed to set-up at another location and replace the lost jobs at La Parada Market. The Santa Anita market was finished in 2012 to accommodate La Parada wholesale market merchants, but many remained at the Victoria District market.
Villarán is being criticized for not regulating and providing enough police protection and city services at La Parada Market where people could buy items and food by large quantities. Most of the merchants and workers have been left without jobs or compensation by their dislocation. Villarán is also accused of deliberately letting La Parada Market area run down by not providing services, despite the economic boost it had for the metropolitan area. Most of the business merchants at La Parada Market Place served the low income population in Lima.
Since October 24, 2012 to March 2014, the merchants had challenged the municipality of Lima from evicting them from the market place, but recently a judge dismissed some of the appeal filings of the business merchants. City officials took advantage of the judge's ruling and proceeded to evict some the merchants from the market and demolish bargain store fronts without a court order.
Malzón Urbina, an attorney representing the merchants told media outlets that Lima city officials, including Mayor Villarán violated the rights of La Parada merchants and evicted them from store fronts illegally. Some people from the market place and children had been injured during the eviction and demolition of the market.
City workers had to remove about 13 tons of garbage from the sidewalks, streets, open ground and around nearby localities that included Victoria. La Parada lacked regular garbage pick service from the Municipality of Lima and garbage was allowed by Mayor Villarán to pile up for days and even weeks.
Ida Ávila Sedano, the spokesperson for the merchants told Andina dot com that she was injured in the eviction process and that municipality officials from Lima were evicting merchants illegally. Merchants will continue to stay at the local until a judge orders us to leave, Sedano said.
A press release from the Municipality of Lima stated on Saturday, Lourdes Collagua, from the District Attorney's Office in Lima was dispatched to the scene to investigate Sedano's allegations that two to three individuals were killed in a demolished store at the market place. Collagua and a medical team found no one injured or killed where Sedano had claimed some victims had been killed by the demolition. The press release also stated, that a 16-year-old boy was turned over to authorities after he was found at a store front without his parents and that no injuries and arrests were reported.
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