Construction Workers Massacred!!!

Chiclayo Peru (AP) All of Chiclayo is reeling with shock and disbelief this morning over the ruthless massacre of eight city construction workers on Chinchaysuyo Ave yesterday afternoon. According to a police department spokesperson, the workers were apparently forced to line up against a wall and were then savagely gunned down.

Asked if there were any leads as to the murderer’s identities, the spokesperson said, “…we know who is responsible. It’s a rival gang of construction workers from neighboring La Victoria. For months now they have been stealing sand and gravel from our project site late at night. Two days ago we placed night security guards on the site to stop the thieves. We never imagined they would resort to an act this desperate and despicable over a few shovels full of sand and gravel.”

When asked what happens next, the spokesperson replied, “First we will mourn for our brave fallen workers. Then, when they least expect it, La Victoria will experience a defeat so crushing they will never be able to bother anyone again! Vengeance will be ours!!”

Okay…you’ve probably guessed the above was written tongue-in-cheek – that there was no massacre. But the thing is I actually thought something was drastically wrong when I initially saw bodies sprawled on the sidewalk, looking as if they’d been placed there for collection. And there were several more groups just like them over the next three blocks. They laid there as if they were dead while passersby had to walk in the street to get around them. I’m not being critical because this is Peru and customs are different here. It’s just that I can’t imagine seeing anything like that in the USA. Sure, city workers take breaks, but they and their bosses are aware that tax payers are looking at them so are a little more discrete about their image.

Tom