Legionary Action
| Legionary Action | |
|---|---|
| Acción Legionaria | |
 First flag of Peru, adopted by the group.[1] | |
| Also known as | AL |
| Supreme Chief | Israel Lira[2] |
| Foundation | 5 January 2013 |
| Dissolved | 2016 |
| Country | Peru |
| Ideology | |
| Political position | Far-right |
| Status | Defunct |
| Website | lalegion |
Legionary Action (Spanish: Acción Legionaria, AL) was a youth-based[3] cultural and political organization based in Lima, Peru. The group aimed to introduce fascist ideals into contemporary Peruvian politics, and provide a space for individuals interested in classical fascism. The group upheld the legacy of former president Luis M. Sánchez Cerro and claimed to be the heirs of the former nationalist political party Revolutionary Union ('Unión Revolucionaria', UR). During its period of activities, Legionary Action attempted to become a fascist party, but would eventually dissolve in 2016.
Actions
[edit]Legionary Action was founded on 5 January 2013, in Lima, capital city of Peru.[4] In that year, as a response towards a pro-LGBT manifestation organized by the Movimiento Homosexual de Lima (MHOL) in the Plaza de Armas, the organization made clear to take firm action against any LGBT individuals attending that day, thus demonstrating their commitment to traditional values.[5] However, after the failure of the manifestation, members of the AL bragged about MHOL's setback, referring to its members as 'degenerates'.[6]
In 2014, Legionary Action distributed flyers in several areas of downtown Huancavelica promoting a boycott of voting of the then upcoming regional elections. The posters aimed to encourage local citizens to reject political corruption and abstain to vote.[7] That same year, the organization supported the Marcha por la Vida (lit. 'March for Life'), a pro-life march in Lima. The group encouraged its members to voluntarily participate through its official Facebook page.[8]
In 2015, Legionary Action declared a "political war" against the Movimiento por Amnistía y Derechos Fundamentales (MOVADEF), a far-left, Marxist-Leninist-Maoist organization which advocates for the release of members of the communist terrorist organization Shining Path. Members of the MOVADEF placed an image of the Shining Path leader Abimael Guzmán, along with a hammer-and-sickle flag, on the grave of renowned Peruvian writer César Vallejo at the Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris, France. This act was documented and shared on Acción Legionaria’s Facebook page, who condemned the action.[9] The organization dissolved in 2016, marking the end of its activities as an organized political group.[10] Several of its former members transitioned to form the Revista de Estudios Crisolistas.[11]
Ideology
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Acción Legionaria sat on the far-right of the political spectrum,[2] standing on a Third Positionist platform.[12] It was formed as an un-official continuation of the Unión Revolucionaria, a nationalist party founded by caudillo Luis Miguel Sánchez Cerro, which evolved towards a fascist movement by his successor, Luis A. Flores, after the assasination of the former[10]. Ideologically, the AL developed a new variant of fascism known as National Corporatism ('Nacional Corporatismo'), which aimed to "rebuild the nationality through a social discipline and spiritual awareness, the harmonization of social classes and the corporate organization of the State”.[1]
As a third-positionist organization, Legionary Action was radically opposed to both liberalism and communism,[13] while also opposing Peruvian democracy and supporting authoritarian rule as an alternative.[10] The group was strongly influenced by both Sanchez Cerro and Mussolini, and assumed as its doctrinary base from both classical fascism and, in a lesser way, falangism, although rejecting entirely National Socialism.[14] Socially, the organization was also opposed towards abortion, prostitution and sodomy, engaging in various campaigns against culturally liberal organizations such as the Movimiento Homosexual de Lima (MHOL).[3] The organization was also strongly opposed to Fujimorism, considering said movement as “clientelist”, “without ideology” and supportive of a percieved "partitocracy” within Peruvian democratic system.[15]
The members of Acción Legionaria identified themselves as followers of both Luis M. Sánchez Cerro and Benito Mussolini, from whom they took their ideas.[16] In its reading library, the organization included the works of distinct intellectuals of the political right, such as Peruvian historian José de la Riva-Agüero y Osma, Italian traditionalist philosopher Julius Evola and the Mexican journalist Salvador Borrego.[3] The group condemned the legacy of Chilean dictator Augusto Pinochet, whom they deemed as a 'liberal'.[17] Internationally, the organization established close relations with the Brazilian neo-fascist organization National Front ('Frente Nacionalista'), who shared similar ideas.[18]
See also
[edit]References
[edit]- ^ a b Loeser, Pete (2020). "Flags of Extremism - Part 1 (a-m)". Historical Flags of Our Ancestors. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ a b Sobrino Verástegui, Suiry (21 August 2018). "Los "hijos" de la Santa Inquisición tienen un candidato a regidor en Miraflores". Wayka (in Spanish).
- ^ a b c "Lima: ¿Quiénes son 'Los Hombres de Negro' que admiran a Sánchez Cerro y Mussolini?". Perú.com. El Comercio Group. 18 July 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ "Nuestras Actividades". lalegion.pe. Lima: Acción Legionaria. 2013. Archived from the original on 17 December 2013. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ Infante, Gio (23 February 2013). "Hoy lesbianas y gais se besarán en Plaza de Armas contra homofobia del gobierno". La Mula (in Spanish). Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ "Besos Prohibidos en la Plaza Mayor". Diario 16 (in Spanish). No. 914. 25 February 2013. p. 9. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ "Aparecen afiches instando a no sufragar mañana | PERU". Correo (in Spanish). 4 October 2014. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ Sifuentes, Marco (6 March 2014). "Fascistas apoyan "Marcha por la Vida"". Útero.Pe (in Spanish). Lima. Archived from the original on 4 May 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ "César Vallejo: Colocan foto de Abimael Guzmán en tumba de escritor peruano". Perú 21 (in Spanish). 22 August 2019. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ a b c Trujillo & Rosas 2024, p. 338.
- ^ Gavilón, Manuel (19 June 2017). "¿Qué pasó con Acción Legionaria?". Entre Fachas y Rojos (in Spanish). Lima. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ Trujillo & Rosas 2024, p. 341.
- ^ Suárez Trejo 2018, p. 25.
- ^ "Entrevista a Acción legionaria sobre el fascismo". Entre Fachas y Rojos (Interview) (in Spanish). Peru. 1 April 2014. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
Es de resaltar para ya entrar de lleno al tema del autoritarismo, que, Acción Legionaria, tiene como base doctrinaria al fascismo italiano y de una manera complementaria al falangismo español descartando totalmente al nacionalsocialismo, por ser abismalmente inaplicable al contexto peruano.
- ^ "Acción legionaria: "el fascismo no es democrático en un sentido hermenéutico, ya que no plantea un gobierno democrático, sino un gobierno meritocrático basado en principios democráticos que es distinto, realista, sin ilusiones, hipocresías y ficciones de por medio"". Entre Fachas y Rojos (Interview) (in Spanish). Interviewed by Julián Arana. 17 May 2015. Retrieved 12 November 2024.
- ^ Adrianzén, Jaro (13 November 2018). "Un Facho Miraflorino". Caretas (in Spanish) (2256). Lima: 44-45. Retrieved 13 November 2024.
- ^ Sifuentes 2014: "Para ellos, Pinochet fue liberal. O sea, la mazamorra completa."
- ^ Caldeira Neto 2016, p. 26.
Works cited
[edit]- Trujillo, Said Ilich; Rosas, Carlos Andrés (2024). "Viejos discursos, nuevos recursos: los memes como herramienta de difusion de narrativas extremistas y de ultraderecha en el Peru" [Old Speeches, New Resources. Memes as a Tool for the Spread of Extremist Narratives and Far-Right Ideology in Peru]. Letras. 95 (141): 325–344. doi:10.30920/letras.95.141.19.
- Suárez Trejo, Javier (2018). "From Romana Gens to cumbiatella: propaganda, migration and identity in Italo-Peruvian mobilities". Modern Italy. 24 (1). Cambridge: Harvard University: 21–44. doi:10.1017/mit.2018.28.
- Caldeira Neto, Odilon (2016). "Frente nacionalista, neofascismo e novas "direitas" no Brasil" [National Front, Neofascism and the "New Right" in Brazil]. Faces de Clio. 2 (4): 20–36.