October 8th, 2025 - Charlie Kirk Turns into a Political Symbol Thousands of Miles From the U.S.

In Lima, Peru, hundreds of families were brought together for what many thought was a rally for Lima’s mayor, Rafael López Aliaga, a rising star in Latin America's conservative movement. The event was billed as a memorial for Charlie Kirk, an American activist killed for his beliefs. However, for most attendees, the connection to Kirk was tenuous at best. Many had never heard of him, and were more familiar with López Aliaga, who has been positioning himself as a leader in the global right alongside figures like Jair Bolsonaro and Javier Milei.

López Aliaga, known locally as "Porky," has long been aligned with President Trump’s values and sought Trump administration support in a high-stakes legal battle over a controversial toll road contract in Lima. His political rise has been accompanied by bold statements, including a comparison of Kirk to martyrs who helped spread Christianity after their deaths. This memorial, according to López Aliaga, was a symbolic moment to honor Kirk’s death and its role in inspiring right-wing movements worldwide.

The timing of the memorial was no coincidence. As López Aliaga fights a costly legal battle over Lima’s toll roads, he has gained unexpected support from the Trump administration. Letters from Trump-appointed officials in the U.S. Justice Department raised questions about corruption linked to the Lima toll road contract, giving López Aliaga a significant boost in his ongoing legal dispute.

For many of the attendees, the memorial was more of an outing than a political statement. The city of Lima provided buses, free lunches, and water park tickets for those who attended, with some people unaware of who Charlie Kirk was. Many believed they were attending a rally for López Aliaga himself. Regardless, the event went forward, drawing a crowd of thousands, many of whom wore "Yo soy Charlie Kirk" shirts in solidarity.

López Aliaga's push for the Kirk memorial reflects his commitment to aligning himself with the global conservative movement. At the event, he condemned left-wing ideologies, framing them as divisive and rooted in hatred. His speech echoed a broader narrative often seen in Trump-era politics: a defense of nationalism and a rejection of leftist policies that he believes threaten society’s values.

Despite the low turnout compared to initial predictions, the event successfully spotlighted López Aliaga as a defender of conservative ideals, leveraging Charlie Kirk's death as a rallying point. For Lima's right-wing mayor, this memorial was more than just a tribute to a fallen activist—it was an opportunity to energize his base and position himself as the leader of Peru’s future.

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster) - Finicky (adj, FIN-ih-kee) - Finicky describes someone who is very hard to please, or something that requires a lot of care, precision, or attentive effort.

Example: Although she was a finicky eater as a child, she grew up to become a world-renowned chef famous for her encyclopedic knowledge of global ingredients.

Image credit: Unsplash