ABSTRACT
When the cholera epidemic broke out in Peru, a newspaper in Chimbote registered a woman's lament: 'God is tired of looking after us, and now He has removed his hands from us'. The ensuing stabilization policies applied by the Fujimori administration in late 1990 were harsh. These measures worsened the condition of the poor and swelled their ranks in a country characterized by an uneven concentration of income, unemployment and the absence of a safety net. The epidemic reached the Amazon towards the end of the first week of March. This delay enabled a better preparation of the health personnel and the population. The official response was initially marked by the recommendations made by the Ministry of Health. Many felt the public sphere was filthy, while the individual and familial one was not 'dirty' or infectious.
