Watch: New alleged ‘fake’ interpreter scandal on TV in Peru

A Facebook video which appears to show an alleged new ‘fake’ interpreter scandal on TV in Peru has attracted nearly 40,000 views.

The video shows a TV in-vision interpreter moving her arms around in what appears to be a random and repetitive manner while discussions take place in Peru’s Congress.

The user who uploaded the video, Vanessa Flores, said in her status: “Usually I do not watch the Congress channel but today I could not help it.”

Numerous commenters said they did not understand the interpreter, with one saying: “Who is this lady? What do you do? Is interpreter? Can someone explain to me!! Because I don’t understand anything!!!”

Another said: “I can’t believe it!!! As a mother of a son deaf I feel disgusted to see that our congress violates the rights of the deaf community to hire a lady who knows nothing of interpretation. This is a joke!!!!”

While sign languages differ around the world, to most Deaf people, no matter which form of sign language they are fluent in, the manner of signing looks highly unusual and incoherent.

In the last 24 hours, the footage has been widely shared in the UK Deaf community, bringing back memories of the ‘fake’ interpreter scandal at Nelson Mandela’s memorial service in 2013 (a story which was first broken on this site).

The video can be seen below (or click here to see it directly on Facebook).