Humala: Government Won’t Allow “Status Quo” In VRAE

President Ollanta Humala said this week that the government won’t allow the “status quo” to continue in the coca-growing Apurimac and Ene river valley, or VRAE, state news agency Andina reported. The VRAE is Peru’s biggest producer of coca leaves, used to produce cocaine. Much of the area, located in south-central Peru, is controlled by remnants [...]

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 [...]

Peru’s Ministers Resign Over Fight With Shining Path Rebels

Peru’s Defense and Interior ministers, a mere six months since being appointed to their posts, resigned on Thursday amid a political uproar over an operation to rescue hostages and capture Shining Path rebels who had kidnapped the 36 natural gas workers last month. The ministers faced a censure in Congress to be voted on Saturday. Opposition [...]

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 [...]

Opposition Lawmakers To Support No Confidence Vote For Ministers

Opposition lawmakers say they will support a vote of no confidence for Interior Minister Daniel Lozada and Defense Minister Alberto Otarola, due to their handling of the incidents involving Shining Path remnants in the Apurimac and Ene River Valley, or VRAE, daily El Comercio reported. Spokespersons for the Alianza por el Gran Cambio, Solidaridad Nacional [...]

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 [...]

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 [...]

Next Page »