Street Vendors Harass Visually Impaired Woman Documenting Sidewalk Obstacles in Lima

A visually impaired woman faced verbal harassment from street vendors in Villa El Salvador, Lima, while attempting to document the daily obstacles she encounters navigating public sidewalks. The incident occurred outside the Villa El Salvador Metro station, where vendors aggressively confronted the woman, identified as María Fernanda, 23, and her accompanying television crew.

Video footage captured by Latina Televisión shows the vendors yelling at María Fernanda, accusing her of causing them to lose business and questioning why she was filming. "You are so mean. She doesn't pass every day, I just saw her. She can pass, (but) let us work, why are you publicizing this? You're doing it so they'll remove us from here," one vendor is heard saying.

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You are so mean. She doesn't pass every day, I just saw her. She can pass, (but) let us work, why are you publicizing this? You're doing it so they'll remove us from here.

María Fernanda explained that such hostility is a common occurrence when she attempts to use public spaces. The crew was filming a report on the difficulties faced by visually impaired individuals in the capital, detailing obstructions like ice cream cart umbrellas, illegally parked vehicles, and lumber loads on sidewalks.

The vendors' aggression escalated when they noticed the camera, with some shouting insults and one even following María Fernanda and the reporter with an activated emergency siren. The reporter intervened to protect María Fernanda, but the vendors continued their verbal attacks. The journalist condemned the actions as a direct assault on a vulnerable person, emphasizing the need for authorities to address the situation.

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What I want to expose is the hostility with which street vendors approach us, sounding sirens, shouting at us, or asking how much we are being paid. This definitely needs to be seen by the authorities.