Peru’s government has extended a state of emergency for 60 days in districts in a number of south-central regions due tothe presence of Shining Path remnants.
The state of emergency, which suspends a number of civil liberties, was extended in districts in Ayacucho, northern Cusco, Huancavelica and Junin, daily Peru. 21 reported.
The state of emergency was first declared in these areas in May, following the kidnapping of almost 40 natural gas workers by a splinter group of the Shining Path.
The workers were released a few days later after they were snatched, which led President Ollanta Humala to declare the operation a success. However attempts to capture the rebels led to the deaths of about 10 police and military officers, resulting in a public outcry and resignation of the Interior and Defense ministers.
The area where the kidnapping occurred was just outside the coca-growing Apurimac and Ene river valleys, which includes a number of districts in Ayacucho, Cusco and Junin. The Shining Path remnants have been able to survive in the region thanks to financing from the multi-billion dollar drug trade.
