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 Seeks To Decrease Coca Production By 30% In 2016

Peru’s government approved on Tuesday a five-year national plan that aims to decrease the production of illegal coca by 30% in 2016, and strengthen alternative and sustainable development in the coca-growing valleys. Premier Oscar Valdes’ office said in a statement that the strategy, which was created by Peru’s anti-drug agency Devida, involves eradicating 14,000 hectares of [...]

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. [...]

Peru Military Commander: “Sooner or Later” to Finish Shining Path Remnants

The commander general of Peru’s army, Victor Ripalda, said Friday that “sooner or later” the country’s security forces will defeat Shining Path remnants. “What is certain is that sooner or later we have to finish with this scourge,” Ripalda said, according to state news agency Andina. In a joint operation, the military and police captured [...]

Shining Path Attack Kills One Soldier In VRAE

Days after President Ollanta Humala announced the capture of the head of the Shining Path remnants in the Upper Huallaga Valley, another rebel splinter group launched an attack on a military base that killed one army officer, newspaper El Comercio reported. The attack by the Shining Path remnants occurred in the Apurimac and Ene river valley. Officials [...]

Head of Peru’s Anti-Drug Agency Comes Under Fire Following Leaked Emails

The head of Peru’s anti-drugs agency Devida, Ricardo Soberon, has come under fire following the publication by daily El Comercio  of excerpts of some of his e-mails to coca growing members of the National Confederation of Farmers in the coca-growing basins (Conpaccp). The criticism heightened as Soberon scheduled to visit coca growers in several areas of the central [...]

Devida’s 2012 budget to be $44 million

The president of Peru’s anti-drug agency, known as Devida, said Monday that the agency will have a budget of 120 million soles (approximately $44 million) in 2012, aimed to fulfill the government’s pledge to reduce coca cultivation. Ricardo Soberon, to critics a controversial appointment to lead Devida by President Ollanta Humala, said that 70 million [...]

Peru to resume coca eradication today

Peru’s government will resume coca eradication work on Tuesday in the country’s Upper Huallaga Valley, daily La Republica reported, citing President Ollanta Humala. Humala’s government suspended eradication last week to re-evaluate the country’s current counter-narcotics plan. The Upper Huallaga Valley is Peru’s top coca growing region. The government came under harsh criticism for the suspension, [...]

Peru Gov’t criticized for temporary suspension of coca eradication

Peru’s government has ordered the suspension of eradication efforts of coca crops in the country’s Upper Huallaga Valley, located in Huanuco region, local media reported. The Upper Huallaga Valley is one of Peru’s top coca growing regions, in addition to the Apurimac and Ene river valleys, or VRAE. Peru has seen a steady increase in recent [...]

Defense minister says alternative crop promotion better than eradication to deter coca

Peruvian Defense Minister Jaime Thorne said Friday the promotion of alternative crops to coca, the raw material used to make cocaine, is more important to combating the country’s growing drug trade than eradication efforts. “I believe an aspect in the fight against drug trafficking that is much more important than eradication is to provide the opportunity to those that [...]

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