Humala’s Approval Rating Down 5 Points In May – Ipsos Apoyo

President Ollanta Humala’s approval rating declined five points in May to 51 percent, as a result of the mishandling by joint police-armed forces of an operation against remnants of the leftist Shining Path, according to a new poll by Ipsos Apoyo. The poll, which was published by daily El Comercio, found that the main problem [...]

Ninth Soldier Killed In New Shining Path VRAE Attack

A non-commissioned army officer was killed in a new attack by remnants of the Shining Path insurgency in the Apurimac and Ene river valley, known as the VRAE, daily El Comercio reported. The officer, 38-year-old Valentin Huanca, was killed when a Shining Path sharpshooter attacked the Mazángaro counter-terrorism military base in Junin region’s San Martin de Pangoa province.  He [...]

Prime Minister Rejects Calls To Remove Ministers Over VRAE Strategy

Prime Minister Oscar Valdes rejected Friday that Peru’s Interior and Defense ministers could be removed from their posts for their handling of a conflict with Shining Path remnants in the coca-growing Apurimac and Ene river valleys, or VRAE. Valdes said that removing Defense Minister Alberto Otarola or Interior Minister Daniel Lozada would not be favorable [...]

UNICEF Says Shining Path Remnants Violating Convention On Child Rights

Recent reports and photographs of Shining Path rebels in Peru’s southeast jungle have shown that the rebel group holds dozens of young children, kidnapped or born to kidnapped women, to train them as rebel soldiers. UNICEF’s office in Peru said Tuesday that the use of children by remnant groups of the Shining Path rebels is a violation of [...]

Peru Prepares Major Offensive Against Shining Path In VRAE – Report

President Ollanta Humala’s government is preparing a large-scale offensive against remnants of the Shining Path insurgency in the isolated coca-growing Apurimac and Ene river valleys, or VRAE, daily El Comercio reported, citing Reuters. The report said the offensive is the biggest in almost two decades, and seeks to deliver a major blow to the Shining [...]

Peru To Send Inexperienced Soldiers To Dangerous Coca-Growing Region

Peru’s Defense Ministry plans to send a number of young soldiers into a dangerous coca-growing region as part of efforts to track down narco-terrorists that kidnapped 36 natural gas workers earlier this month, according to the  National Ombudsman’s office. The office, known as the Defensoria del Pueblo, said the troops have only completed between 28 days and [...]

Humala: Gov’t Aiming For “Zero Cost” To Shining Path Kidnapping

President Ollanta Humala said Thursday that Peru’s security forces are looking to resolve the kidnapping of up to 40 natural gas workers by suspected Shining Path rebels with “zero cost” to the hostages. “We are taking into account the life of the workers,” said Humala, according to daily El Comercio. Humala’s comments were his first [...]

Report: Shining Path Seeks $10 Million Ransom For Kidnapped Workers

Shining Path rebels, suspected of kidnapping natural gas workers on Monday, have reportedly demanded a $10 million ransom, explosives, and clothes in exchange for the hostages, daily El Comercio reported. The workers —between 36 and 40— were kidnapped early Monday morning in Kepashiato, a town located in the province of La Convencion in Cusco region. [...]

Peru Captures Shining Path Leader In Upper Huallaga

Peruvian authorities announced they have captured a leader of the Shining Path remnants in the Upper Huallaga Valley, state news agency Andina reported. Jaime Arenas Caviedes, alias Braulio, was allegedly one of the leaders of the Shining Path in the Upper Huallaga valley, following the capture of Florindo Flores in February. Flores, also known as [...]

Peru Police Capture Shining Path Leader’s Successor

Over the weekend Peruvian police captured the successor of Shining Path leader Florindo Flores , state news agency Andina reported. Flores, alias Comrade Artemio, was captured last month in a joint police and military operation in the Upper Huallaga Valley, where he led one of the last two remaining splinter groups of the bloody Shining Path. [...]

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