Cameron Diaz offended Peruvians by carrying a bag that had an offensive slogan to their country on it.
Diaz was visiting the Inca city of Machu Picchu yesterday carrying an olive green bag with a red star and the words "Serve the People" written in Chinese.
In Peru the saying is a reminder of the Maoist Shining Path insurgency which brought the country to chaos in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, with almost 70,000 people dying during the massacres and bombings.
Pablo Rojas, a prominent human rights activist in Peru says, "It alludes to a concept that did so much damage to Peru, that brought about so many victims. I don’t think she should have used that bag where the followers of that ideology did so much damage."
Whoops.
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The Sendero Luminoso Terrorist group and its effects caused terrible damage and heartache to people here in Peru, however, precisely to the contrary, Ms. Diaz’ visit here to Peru has been a wild success.
Over these days, we have enjoyed dozens of photographs of her learning about our culture, enjoying our food and even sharing hugs and kisses (our style of greeting people) with guides, fans, and people who have surely never seen one of here movies (or any movie for that matter!!).
We have been very glad to have her visit. Hope she comes back soon to enjoy more.
From here in Peru I looked for and and have found NO scandal, NO outrage, NO ANYTHING “negative” about the recent and INCREDIBLY well received (return) visit of Ms. Diaz to Peru. The Non-Peruvian press seems to have made a mountain out of scandal out of the quote of one individual. That is not to diminish the horror of sendero, but it just is NOT how we will remember her here.
She was welcomed here with the same open arms and attitude that SHE seems to have arrived with and offered to all around her.
Peruvians acted as the “perfect hosts” and the only “sendero” (path) that marked Ms. Diaz’ visit here was that by in eating, drinking, listening, learning, hugging and kissing basically everyone and everything in her path, she was in fact a “perfect guest” which I and each Peruvian I have spoken with have been surprised at due to Ms. Diaz “international stature,” and how stars often act. Her dignified, yet arguably unnecesarry, apology to the “issue”, shows what a class act she can be.
As a side note, with some exceptions due to his unique security needs as the richest man on the planet if not in the galaxy, Bill Gates was pretty cool too. There was a GREAT picture of him 2 days ago in El Commercio sitting in the bleachers up in Cuzco scarfing down a Chiccharon pork sandwich, greasy fingers and all.
Come on down, we would love to see you!