Peruvian politician stokes fears of Venezuelan immigrants

Anti-immigration fervor has flared up in this year’s race for mayor of Lima, with conservative candidate Ricardo Belmont stoking fears that Venezuelans fleeing their country’s economic crisis are a threat to Peruvians’ jobs and to public order. Peruvian Prime Minister Cesar Villanueva has condemned Belmont’s rhetoric as opportunistic and dangerous. “He’s irresponsibly inciting violence,” Villanueva, a centrist, said in broadcast comments on Tuesday. “We can’t politicize this problem.”More…