A Citizens’ Constituent Assembly or a Plurinational Constituent Assembly?

Abstract

The article offers a critical analysis of the proposals for a “People’s Constituent Assembly” and a “Plurinational Constituent Assembly” in the context of the political and institutional crisis in contemporary Peru. Drawing on a historical reconstruction of nation-building process, it argues that there are not multiple coexisting nations in Peru, but rather a process of mestizaje and “cholification” brought about by the colonial experience, internal migration, and urbanization, building on the work of Mariátegui, Quijano, and Arguedas. In response, he proposes the idea of a “Citizens’ Constituent Assembly” as a form of universal and egalitarian representation capable of building a democratic political community and addressing the inequalities of race, class, and gender present in Peruvian society.