Lima’s mayor confesses to painting over downtown street art

World Today

Murals are disappearing in Lima, Peru to the indignation of art lovers. The city’s mayor has said he’s responsible and he’s going to finish the job.

CCTV America’s Dan Collyns filed this report from Lima.

Highlights: 

  • Street art murals in Lima, Peru have gone missing. For some, the knowledge that this art could be permanently removed is upsetting.
  • Many artists are standing vigil at the murals that have yet to be covered in yellow paint.
  • Yellow is the color of the new mayor’s political party. Some believe Mayor Luis Castaneda’s concerns may be more than cultural ones.
  • The mayor wants to erase street art from the city’s downtown area, saying it doesn’t fit in with the historic center. Critics suspect the real motive may be an attempt to paint over his predecessor’s legacy.
  • The former mayor, Susana Villaran, encouraged cultural programs in the city’s gritty downtown. Castaneda, three months into his job, has said all must go and defends his decision.
  • Cultural experts in Lima argue the U.N.’s cultural body, UNESCO, encourages such art.