Crowds poured off buses by the dozens, families drawn from Lima’s struggling outskirts with promises of free transport, a complimentary meal, and entry to a public water park.
Many arrived in their Sunday best, Bibles in hand, under the impression they were attending a memorial for a fellow evangelical Christian, a man they were told had been martyred in the U.S. for his faith. Few, however, actually knew his name.
Others appeared genuinely bewildered. “Who is Charlie Kirk?” inquired 56-year-old Milagros Garcia, pausing from her chicken lunch at the Lima memorial, her confusion palpable.
“I’ve certainly never seen him before,” she confessed after being shown the event’s promotional flyer, which featured Mr. Kirk prominently against a backdrop of Peruvian and American flags. Three women nearby echoed her sentiment.
Much like Ms. Garcia, a significant portion of the attendees believed they were there to support Lima’s right-wing mayor, Rafael López Aliaga—affectionately or derisively known as “Porky”—a front-runner in Peru’s upcoming presidential election. Their assumption, it turned out, wasn’t far from the truth.
Images: Attendees were provided free bus transportation and complimentary entry to the park hosting Charlie Kirk’s memorial service.
Sixty-four-year-old López Aliaga is actively striving to carve out his place among Latin America’s rising stars of the contemporary global right, aligning himself with figures like Brazil’s Jair Bolsonaro, Argentina’s Javier Milei, and El Salvador’s Nayib Bukele. He unveiled plans for the Kirk memorial at a prominent far-right conference in Madrid the previous month, presenting it as the sole government-sanctioned tribute to Kirk across Latin America.
The timing of this event was no mere coincidence. López Aliaga strategically arranged the memorial for the Trump-aligned activist precisely when he was seeking—and ultimately secured—assistance from the Trump administration in a critical legal battle he’s currently fighting in the United States.
López Aliaga has been engaged in a fierce campaign to transfer control of Lima’s privately operated toll road network to city hands, with the ultimate goal of abolishing the tolls entirely—a move that has garnered widespread public approval. He has already prevented the operating company from collecting numerous tolls, asserting that the contract itself is invalid due to its origins in bribery.
These alleged bribes were intricately linked to the expansive, multinational corruption network uncovered a decade ago during Brazil’s “Operation Car Wash” investigation, which saw partial prosecution by the U.S. Justice Department.
Brookfield Asset Management, despite not being implicated in the initial corruption, later acquired a majority stake in the Lima contract. They subsequently sued the city and prevailed, with arbitration courts ordering Lima to pay Brookfield $200 million. Furthermore, Brookfield is pursuing a $2.7 billion lawsuit against Peru, contending that López Aliaga’s actions breached an existing trade agreement. These ongoing legal battles threaten to financially cripple Lima and could potentially derail López Aliaga’s political future.
However, the mayor recently received a significant boost from the Trump administration.
Images: For many, the event offered a welcome, inexpensive day trip. Mariela Ramos, seen in a green top, attended with her daughter, completely unfamiliar with Charlie Kirk prior to the memorial.
Starting with a letter dispatched in March, Edward R. Martin Jr., a Justice Department official appointed by Trump, indicated that the administration was re-examining the corruption allegations tied to the Lima contract.
Just days after publicly announcing the Kirk event in Spain, López Aliaga traveled to Washington, where his lawyer confirmed he met with Martin. Soon after, Martin sent formal letters to a former Justice Department official and their previous law firm, inquiring why Lima had not been designated as a victim in the Car Wash investigation—a crucial distinction that could potentially allow the city to annul the controversial contract.
The day prior to the Kirk memorial, this significant development made headlines on the front page of a prominent conservative Peruvian newspaper, boldly declaring: “Trump Drops a Bombshell.” López Aliaga himself eagerly disseminated this news across his social media platforms.
The tragic assassination of Charlie Kirk has since transformed into a potent instrument for right-wing factions, enabling them to galvanize their supporters, criticize the left, and advance their political agendas.
The Trump administration has invoked Kirk’s death as justification for increased pressure on leftist organizations and the revocation of visas for certain foreign nationals. Internationally, right-wing groups have similarly exploited his demise, using it as a unifying call to action at the largest far-right assembly in Britain in years, and at the Madrid conference organized by Vox, Spain’s rapidly growing far-right party.
Images: Lima’s right-wing mayor, Rafael López Aliaga—known widely as “Porky”—personally greeted attendees at the event organized to honor Charlie Kirk’s memory.
In a recent interview at Lima’s City Hall, López Aliaga stated he had no prior knowledge of Kirk before his death. He claimed that it was only after the shooting that he began watching Kirk’s videos.
“They claim it was hate speech, that he was intolerant. I, however, have not discovered a single video where he exhibited aggression or intolerance,” López Aliaga asserted. “In my view, he possessed immense patience. Perhaps even too much patience.”
López Aliaga claimed his decision to host the Kirk memorial was impulsive, made during his visit to Spain. There, he declared it would be an “apotheosis” ceremony, likening the American activist to Roman martyrs who played a pivotal role in the early spread of Christianity.
“From the blood of martyrs, a revolution emerged: the expansion of Christianity,” he explained in the interview. “Charlie Kirk marks a turning point because many young people have responded by declaring, ‘We are Charlie Kirk.’ He is not dead; he has multiplied.”
His intention to commemorate Kirk at Lima’s Magic Circuit of Water—a sprawling park adorned with pristine landscaping and thirteen synchronized fountains—was met with considerable backlash from many within the 10-million-strong city. Pundits from all political leanings questioned why such an elaborate event was being held for a relatively unknown foreigner, while no similar tributes were planned for Peruvian citizens.
Images: Amidst the crowd at the memorial, an individual proudly carried an Israeli flag.
Undeterred, López Aliaga proceeded with the event. On the eve of the memorial, he confidently predicted an attendance of 30,000 to 40,000. When confronted with rumors of the city busing in attendees, he vehemently denied them, stating, “It has to be organic.”
The following morning, however, the streets surrounding the park were indeed filled with buses, unloading passengers who had traveled up to four hours. Three bus drivers confirmed they were paid by the city, while two others admitted receiving payment but were uncertain of the source. Some buses were even seen distributing packed lunches.
Carlos Flores, a motorcycle taxi driver, explained that he boarded a bus to the park with his wife and two children after learning about the event at a soup kitchen. “It’s a nice day out for the kids,” he commented.
When asked about Charlie Kirk, he responded with a puzzled expression. “We live quite remotely, and communication isn’t always reliable there,” he offered.
Images: A poster featuring Charlie Kirk displayed during the memorial. Notably, Lima’s mayor, the event’s organizer, claimed he had never known of Kirk prior to his assassination.
Mariela Ramos, a 44-year-old online reseller, arrived by bus with her young daughter, expecting López Aliaga to articulate his presidential agenda. “As a Peruvian citizen, I want to hear what he has to offer us,” she stated.
Instead, upon arrival, she was met with two large screens broadcasting clips of Kirk, complete with Spanish subtitles, followed by a woman performing Christian songs.
By this point, it was evident that the attendance was considerably lower than López Aliaga’s optimistic forecast. Only a few thousand individuals had gathered, the majority of whom had arrived via the provided buses.
Nevertheless, dozens were clearly present to honor Kirk. Some proudly wore “Yo soy Charlie Kirk” t-shirts, while one man conspicuously waved an Israeli flag. A woman, clutching a sign bearing Kirk’s image, wept as she spoke of what she perceived as growing Christian persecution. Stefano Ferrigno, identifying himself as a podcaster, arrived in a distinctive all-black military uniform, reminiscent of a fascist Peruvian party from the 1930s.
Images: Supporters of Charlie Kirk attending the ceremony.
“The sole remedy for this nation lies in genuine nationalism, a strong leader who will govern Peru with an iron fist,” Ferrigno declared, raising a gloved fist. He added that López Aliaga “presents a very promising option.”
The mayor’s arrival was marked by a live brass band and enthusiastic chants of “Porky.” Taking the stage, he delivered a speech emphasizing how Kirk’s death served as a stark illustration of the severe threat the left posed to societal values.
“The left is not the party of love. It is the party of hatred. It is the party of class struggle. It is the party of envy,” he proclaimed. “We must recognize that we are under attack, much like in the United States.”
He concluded the event by awarding an honorary diploma from the city of Lima, intended for Kirk, to the sole American present on stage: Martin De Luca, the mayor’s Miami-based legal counsel in the ongoing toll roads litigation.
The memorial lasted a total of 90 minutes. As dusk fell, images of Kirk were projected onto the park’s iconic water fountains, though most attendees had already departed on the buses back home.
When contacted by phone the following day, López Aliaga claimed he had no knowledge of the buses’ origin. “I attend three or four events daily, alright? It’s not my responsibility to delve into the specifics of how people arrange their transportation,” he stated.
“Imagine asking the mayor of New York how people mobilized for an event,” he added, sharply. “Show a little more respect.”
Images: The memorial ceremony held at Lima’s Magic Circuit of Water. The attendance was noticeably sparse.