Peruvian President claims Jews pushed Germany into war because 'they controlled banks'

Peruvian President José María Balcázar has ignited a firestorm of condemnation with deeply offensive remarks that echo dangerous antisemitic tropes. During a speech commemorating the 138th anniversary of the Chamber of Commerce of Lima, the president suggested that Jewish people were instrumental in "pushing" Germany into war due to their supposed control over banks and international trade. This baseless assertion, referencing a book by Antonio Escohotado, has rightly drawn sharp criticism from diplomatic quarters and Jewish organizations.

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It is a monument to the history of commerce: how bills of exchange were born, how international trade moved, what role the Jews had in Germany’s national and international trade, how Germany was pushed into a war also partly because of the Jews, because they controlled all the banks, all the commerce, and practiced usury.

The joint statement from the Embassies of Israel and Germany in Peru unequivocally denounced Balcázar's claims as "absurd, historically untenable, and in violation of the memory of millions of German Jewish citizens murdered by the Nazis." They rightly pointed out that Adolf Hitler and the Nazis initiated World War II, and that Nazi ideology, not Jewish influence, led to the Holocaust. The statement served as a crucial reminder that the Holocaust must never be trivialized.

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All these historical details need to be remembered through Escohotado, so that we prepare ourselves better and recognize what the history and the via crucis [hardships] of the brothers dedicated to commerce was. It is truly interesting.

Ambassador Eran Yuvan of Israel and David Schmidt, Chargé d’Affaires of the German Embassy, have formally requested President Balcázar to retract his statements. The Jewish Association of Peru (AJP) expressed its "astonishment" at the president's speech, delivered in the presence of ministers and diplomats, noting that he was repeating "outdated antisemitic theories." This incident is particularly concerning given the platform from which these remarks were made, suggesting a disturbing disregard for historical accuracy and a willingness to propagate harmful stereotypes.

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absurd, historically untenable, and in violation of the memory of millions of German Jewish citizens murdered by the Nazis.

From Peru's perspective, this incident is a stark reminder of the persistent global challenge of antisemitism and the responsibility of leaders to uphold historical truth and promote respect. The swift and unified condemnation by the Israeli and German embassies highlights the international community's vigilance against such rhetoric. The expectation now is for President Balcázar to demonstrate accountability by retracting his remarks and reaffirming a commitment to combating prejudice.

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It should be remembered that it was Adolf Hitler and the Nazis who began the Second World War by attacking Poland in 1939. Nazi ideology, racist and antisemitic, not only discriminated against its Jewish fellow citizens, but resulted in the murder of 6 million Jews in concentration camps. The Holocaust must never be trivialized under any circumstances.