PERU : NEWS BRIEFS
JULY-AUGUST 1996
FUJIMORI'S REGIME INCREASES FOREIGN DEBT BY 50 PER CENT. Peru's National Reserve Bank reported the country's foreign debt reached US$ 33,061 million dollars by the end of June 1996. When Fujimori took over in 1990 the total foreign debt was US$ 22,141 million dollars. In July 2, the National Reserve Bank's Vice President, Mario Tovar, reported the US$ 11,000 million dollars debt increase was caused by the regime's indiscriminate borrowing in the last five years, and by the interests and penalties for not meeting the annual payments on time; the Bank's calculations indicate the foreign debt increased approximately by US$ 2,200 million dollars per year from 1990 to 1995, although Fujimori's government has made great efforts to pay US$ 1,000 million dollars per year in the same period. The bank's report caused a response from Jorge Camet, the Minister of Economy; Camet, ignoring official protocol, made his own announcement to claim the total foreign debt is US$ 22,586 million dollars. Most observers speculated the foreign debt is probably much higher. Fujimori could not be reached for comments [El Comercio, and most newspapers, July 3, 1996. Caretas magazine, June 20, 1996].
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LIMA. Peru's minister of labor Jorge Gonzales Izquierdo reported Peru's Gross National Product (GNP) grew during the month of May between 0.5% and 0.8%; he declared: "this indicates the process of economic decline is ending" [daily Gestion, July 3, 1996]. Note: Whatever happened to Fujimori's loud announcements of "economic miracle" and "fast growing economy"? Now it is clear it was all a lie, that all along there was "process of economic decline".
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TOCACHE. PEOPLE'S ARMY TAKES OVER TOWNS. Mobile columns of the People's Army of Liberation (EPL) led by the Communist Party of Peru (PCP) took over the town of La Morada and called on all residents to resist and combat against Fujimori's reactionary Army and its low intensity warfare. This is the second time in 20 days the EPL enters La Morada. Executives of the private company "Palma del Pino" informed that in the last month the company's installations have been continuously attacked, and that another three trucks have been confiscated by the EPL. The evaluation of Peru's National Police is that 200 EPL combatants divided in four columns are deploying political-military operations in the area; it also confirmed the PCP has reactivated various People's Committees of Workers and Peasants around the town of Situlli (Tocache province) [daily La Republica, July 3, 1996].
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LA LIBERTAD. FOLLOWERS OF FUJIMORI'S PEACE ACCORDS ELIMINATED. Three individuals were the target of a Maoist combat unit in the district of Vuldibuyllo, Pataz. The three casualties had openly collaborated with SIN (Peruvian CIA) in advertising "a call for peace", distributed copies of SIN's "Big Decision and Big Definition", and collected the names of Maoist combatants through harassment of their relatives. In another action, in the town of Retama, 17 combatants of the People's Army (EPL) liberated radios and communications equipment from the Ministry of Transportation and Communication's local office [Expreso, July 3, 1996].
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PCP COMBAT FORCE STRIKES. On July 3, at 9:30 pm, a Maoist force composed of four EPL combatants wearing police uniforms launched explosives and destroyed the offices of the private utility Edelnor in the San Martin de Porres district (Lima). Edelnor is well known for its abusive price increases of electricity in Lima's poor neighborhoods. Three people were injured [El Comercio, La Republica, July 4, 1996].
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HUALLAGA. PEOPLE'S ARMY ADVANCES. A mobile column of the People's Army of Liberation (EPL) led by the Communist Party of Peru (PCP) attacked and defeated a special forces battalion in Santa Rosa de Mishollo (Tocache). The battle took place at 11:30 am when the special forces unit was "pacifying" the area. The EPL forces surrounded the area of operations and launched a lightning surprise attack; the special forces battalion retreated in panic and confusion. Reported casualties are three soldiers and two EPL combatants [Expreso, July 4, 1996]. Note: the combats in the Tocache area are the continuation of various mobile operations being conducted by the EPL in the Huallaga Valley since mid June 1996. In response, government airborne troops and helicopters led by the elite brigade "Los Linces" started a gigantic "pacification campaign" in the Leoncio Prado province where previously an Army convoy was ambushed. The ambush was conducted by the EPL and resulted in three soldiers killed and ten seriously wounded [as reported by La Republica, June 22, 1996].
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PERUVIANS WANTED BY INTERPOL. The chief of Interpol in Peru, Police Colonel Francisco Salinas, announced a list of 350 Peruvians wanted for criminal actions in 176 countries. Peru's former President Alan Garcia Perez is first in the list for corruption charges, money laundering, fraud, extortion, cocaine trade and appropriation of public funds. Salinas announced the list to celebrate INTERPOL's 33 anniversary [Andina News, July 5, 1996].
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US IMPERIALISM PLUNDERS PEOPLE'S RESOURCES. The coordinating office for Amazonian indigenous organizations (COICA) described the recent patent for the "sacred plant" Ayahuasca as "a real insult" to the people of Peru. This plant, used for ceremonies in ancient South American communities, was patented by Loren Miller for International Plant Medicine Corporation. For centuries the "Chamanes" people use the Ayahuasca as a beverage to cure sick bodies and souls. COICA reported that now the Chamanes will have to pay royalties to grow and use the plant for their ancient rituals. Poor peasants in the Amazonas declared "Nobody can patent a natural product, it is like having a patent for growing potatoes!" [AFP, July 5, 1996]. Note: Now the poor peasants in Peru exercise the NEW POWER to defend their rights; capitalist patents do not serve the people, on the contrary, patents are means to oppress and plunder. Thus, they are rejected by the people.
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ICA. 400 PRISONERS RISE UP IN MUTINY. Prisoners in the Cachiche jail near the city of Ica (350 Kilometers from Lima) started a mutiny in protest against the lack of food and against the delays in the judicial process. Many inmates are in prison without any formal charges and without a hearing in court; many are unemployed workers arrested as "terrorists" during a public march demanding basic public services (potable water, health care, etc.). The prisoners took control of the prison's facilities and expressed their grievances. The National Police's Special Assault Division cleared the streets; the situation was tense and a security ring was set up around the prison [AFP, July 5, 1996].
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PERUVIAN NAVY SHIPS TRANSPORT COCAINE. The anti-narcotics police found 28 bags with cocaine of high purity on board the Navy ship "Ilo" in the port of Callao. Each bag contained over 17 kilos of the narcotic. The ship's Captain and 53 crew members are under arrest until investigations are completed. Members of the anti-narcotics police indicated the shipment was for the Atlanta 96 Olympics [La Republica and various sources, July 8, 1996].
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FUJIMORI'S ARMY WORKS FOR COLOMBIAN CARTELS; PERUVIAN TROOPS SUBMERGED IN MISERY. The retired Army General Carlos Mauricio stated "Colombian drug barons have infiltrated Peru's armed forces" in response to recent findings of cocaine shipments on board Air Force planes and Navy ships. General Mauricio expressed his concern for the crew members since it is quite certain they were just following orders from high ranking officers. Another retired Army General, German Parra, denounced the narcotics' trade in the armed forces is a clear consequence of the low salaries for officers and troops. General Parra declared "poverty has reached the armed forces as well, and this misery leads us to criminal acts", "I know retired generals, friends of mine, in psychiatric treatment because of neurosis, they are suffering because they cannot even afford to pay for their older children's education", "If the armed forces are in Power, then why don't we have the same benefits that others in the present administration have?...an Army General earns 1,200 soles per month [US$ 590 dollars] while high ranking bureaucrats in Fujimori's government earn US$ 10,000 and even US$ 15,000 dollars per month!". General Parra concluded "the morale of the armed forces is sinking!" [La Republica, July 8, 1996]. Note: the Generals' views simply reflect another aspect of the Strategic Equilibrium in the People's War. The reactionary Army is going from strong to weak, while the People's Army (EPL) led by the PCP goes from weak to strong. Further, the above comments are from retired Army Generals; active officers and soldiers would be punished and executed "for treason" if they expressed their grievances. The PCP's directive is just and correct: Soldiers and Sailors bring your weapons and join the revolution!.
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NEW WAVE OF PEOPLE'S WAR. NATIONAL POLICE IN RED ALERT. During the first weeks of July the People's Army (EPL) led by the honest and respected Communist Party of Peru (PCP) conducted multiple armed actions in the North and South sectors of Peru's capital. The National Police supported by special forces units and tanks carried out a general mobilization to oppose the surge in Maoist political-military operations. In one operation the businesswoman (exploiter) Graciela Schiafino, wife of the Mayor in San Luis district and member of Fujimori's party Cambio 90, was attacked but she managed to escape in her car. In another action, 30 sticks of dynamite were thrown to the house of Tomas Valdez, a "black head" leading paramilitary death squads in Ate Vitarte. In the district of Rimac a private health center was raided and large amounts of medicines, medical equipment and electronic components were liberated [La Republica, July 10, 1996].
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SENDEROLOGISTS SUPPORT PARAMILITARY DEATH SQUADS. A new book edited by the senderologist Carlos Ivan Degregori aims at advertising the old ridiculous tale of "sendero is defeated". Degregori claims the paramilitary death squads (rondas or "civil patrols") composed of rich landlords, rich peasants, drug barons and hired mercenaries have triumphed in "the struggle for peace". The rondas are formed, trained and led by Fujimori's armed forces to protect the big landlords' properties and the corrupted drug trade. Degregori makes reference to his "long messianic experience in anthropological research" to give credibility to his ridiculous manipulations. Degregori constantly portrays big landlords and drug barons as "peasants", and he claims the alliance between the drug cartels and the paramilitary rondas is "temporary" [La Republica, July 11, 1996]. Note: Degregori is a messianic fundamentalist (he calls himself "engendro salido de madre") and expert in making up imaginary defeats. Who believes Degregori? Nobody.
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AYACUCHO. CHIEF OF FUJIMORI'S PARAMILITARY DEATH SQUADS IMPRISONED. Pompeyo Rivera Torres (Commander Huayhuaco), main instigator of the paramilitary death squads (rondas) in the valley of Apurimac, was found guilty in court and imprisoned for mass murders and involvement in cocaine trade [daily Expreso, July 16, 1996].
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LIMA. The new annual report for human development from the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) informs that income differences and poverty continue to increase in Peru [Gestion, July 16, 1996].
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LIMA. US Ambassador Alvin Adams expressed concern for recent reports of Ecuadorean troops being deployed along Peru's Northern border in clear violation of the peace treaty between Peru and Ecuador [daily El Comercio, July 16, 1996]. Note: Adams does not mention that Brazilian, Chilean, Argentinean and US troops are also being deployed together with Ecuadorean troops to prepare a combined invasion along Peru's Northern border under the pretext of "preserve peace" and "provide comfort".
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LIMA. Three government buildings and a shopping center in the Lima-Callao area were attacked with dynamite and grenades. The targets were the headquarters of the Municipal Police and main Municipal building in Pachacamac, and a luxurious hotel in Miraflores [El Comercio and most papers, July 16, 1996].
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LIMA. Over one hundred installations of the Peruvian Navy, including war ships and submarine bases, are being searched by special inspectors to determine how many Navy facilities are being used for the storage and transport of cocaine. Two Navy ships, "Matarani" and "Ilo", were found transporting narcotics; in early July 57 kilograms of cocaine were found on board of the "Matarani" when it arrived to Vancouver, Canada [El Comercio, July 16, 1996].
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LIMA. The criminal court investigating the relations of Peruvian Army officers and the drug baron Demetrio Chavez "Vaticano" has ordered the arrest of Army Captain Carlos Hernandez. This captain was the chief of the counter-subversive base at Sion (Tocache, Huallaga) from December 1991 to February 1992, and confirmed he received payments from drug barons because his desperate troops had no food supplies for two straight months [El Comercio, July 16, 1996]. Note: The troops in Fujimori's reactionary army are in desperate conditions, recent reports show "They are a raggedy bunch, tired, dirty and malnourished. They steal animals and money from the people, and rapes of young girls are frequent. They call themselves "rambos" and the townspeople are afraid of them".
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LIMA. In an interview with the right wing Argentinean daily "Clarin", Alberto Kenyo Fujimori admitted that drug dealers have "infiltrated" Peru's armed forces; he added "what we do is simply investigate". In relation to the civil war, Kenyo Fujimori recognized "there are still some isolated columns in the jungle, but there is a large search going on, even with some casualties in the Army". Fujimori also rejected the accusations of fraud and corruption against the State insurance company "Popular Porvenir" at present managed by some of his family members [Gestion, July 16, 1996].
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PEOPLE'S ARMY CONTROLS TOWN AND MAIN HIGHWAY. Various mobile columns of the People's Army (EPL) entered the town of Las Vegas (25 kilometers from Tingo Maria) and took control of the main highway to the city of Pucallpa. The EPL deployed night military operations and during the daytime conducted political agitation and propaganda in massive public meetings [El Comercio, July 17, 1996].
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LIMA. Caretas magazine reports it is unknown how the revenues from privatizations are being used, nor how much of the revenues are being allocated for social programs as demanded by law. By July 12 the total amount of revenues from privatizations of state enterprises reached US$ 6,253 million dollars, and existing laws require that 80% of such revenues ought to be invested in social services [Caretas, July 17, 1996]. Note: Recently Kenyo Fujimori purchased a Boeing Jet 735-500 and conditioned his private island with high security accommodations for specials guests and parties; in the mean time over 70% of Peru's population suffers misery, malnutrition and disease.
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CANADIAN MINING FIRMS GET BARGAINS IN PERU. Inmet Mining Corporation and Rio Algom Ltd. purchased the copper mines at Antamina (Ancash) for US$ 20 million dollars. The firms project to invest US$ 2,520 million dollars to exploit the mines in the next five years. Observers reported the purchase price is only one fifth of the actual market value [DESCO, July 18, 1996].
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LIMA. CONSTRUCTION WORKERS IN MASSIVE PROTEST AGAINST GOVERNMENT. More than 5,000 construction workers marched on the streets of Lima to protest against the regime's labor policies. The workers accused Fujimori's regime of suppressing and eliminating the social rights and benefits that workers have conquered after many years of struggle. These rights are recognized by the International Labor Organization. When the marchers reached the Ministry of Labor they demanded to meet with the minister Jorge Gonzales Izquierdo, but he refused and ordered the Ministry's doors closed to prevent workers from entering. The marchers shouted slogans "the minister must resign!", "Down with the puppet government!". In response, various units of the National Police's Special Assault Division (anti-riot corps) were deployed to surround, arrest and disperse the marchers. The workers responded with a rain of bricks, stones, rocks, sticks and wiped out every police thug who got on the way. After shooting tear gas and vomiting gases, the police's Special Assault units called for reinforcements; the street battle became submerged in fog, clouds of gases and smoke. The construction workers resisted and continued marching to other city streets. Many policemen and workers were treated for head and body wounds. The Secretary General of the Construction Workers' Federation, Mr. Jose Risco Montalvan, informed that over 90% of Peru's construction workers went on strike, that is 250,000 construction workers consciously joined the people's struggle against injustice, exploitation and genocidal oppression in Peru. The Federation announced more protests will follow until the government responds to the workers' demands [La Republica, Expreso and most papers, July 18, 1996].
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STREET VENDORS MARCH AGAINST CONGRESS. Hundreds of street vendors marched to Peru's Congress to demand social services and measures to aid the informal sector in Peru. The vendors demand the construction of facilities where they can market their goods in safe and healthy conditions, at the same time they demand health care, social security benefits and the end of abusive tax increases [DESCO and various sources, July 18, 1996].
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IMPERIALIST MONOPOLIES IMPOSE ABUSIVE EXPLOITATION. The representatives of native communities in Bajo Urubamba denounced the multinational oil corporations Chevron and Shell-Mobil for imposing abusive super-exploitation conditions on poor and humble community residents. Mr. Bernabe Choranto, President of the native organization at Machiguengas (Concepcion province), complained that over 400 residents of the native communities work 12 hours every day in exploration tasks, and receive the meager daily salary of eight (8) soles (US$ 3.4 dollars per day). Mr. Choronto declared "The principal problem in the Bajo Urubamba communities is that we do not have any public health services, no health care at all, nor electricity, nor potable water. The Fujimori government does not pay any attention to our problems, and the foreign multinationals treat us like animals; we are human beings!" [La Republica, July 18, 1996].
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HUALLAGA. PEOPLE'S ARMY DEFEATS REACTIONARY ARMY. The counter-subversive base at Aucayacu (Leoncio Prado province) has been dismantled and abandoned after the retreat of the reactionary special forces from the area. The People's Army of Liberation (EPL) led by the Communist Party of Peru (PCP) has taken control of the province as a base for deploying future political-military operations. Big landlords and their collaborators escaped from the area and called for the reactionary Army's return [La Republica and most papers, July 18, 1996].
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CUSCO. Over 460 prisoners in the Quencoro concentration camp near the city of Cusco started a mutiny to protest against their unjust imprisonment. Most of the protesters are in prison without any formal charges nor a hearing in court, and the judicial court in Cusco constantly ignores their grievances. Over 400 men and 52 women are imprisoned in Quencoro under unfounded accusations of "terrorism" and "treason to the motherland" [Expreso, Aprodeh and most papers, July 19, 1996].
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LIMA. Fujimori's regime announced that 800 people accused of being "terrorists" have been captured by the armed forces and National Police during the first half of 1996, at the same time it acknowledged over 775 confrontations with the EPL in the same period [daily El Peruano, Aprodeh, July 19, 1996].
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LIMA. Over 6,000 State employees are fired without compensation from judicial institutions. The measure is part of the recent judicial reform being prepared by Fujimori's regime. The National Federation of Judicial Workers announced it will present its protest before the World Labor Organization. The regime has prohibited all public protests and Federation meetings [La Republica, July 19, 1996].
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PEOPLE'S ARMY ADVANCES AND TAKES OVER TOWNS. During July 18 and 19 a group of EPL mobile columns, applying the PCP's proletarian military line, converged and took control of the Damaso, Beraun and Chinchao districts in the provinces of Leoncio Prado and Huanuco. The EPL forces entered the towns of Cayumba Chico, San Miguel, Chaupiyunca, Paujil Pampa and adjacent villages. A similar deployment took place during the week of July 14 in zones around Las Vegas near Tingo Maria [El Comercio, July 23, 1996].
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STREET VENDORS IN BLOODY CLASH. Over 500 street vendors marched in Lima's streets on July 23, and violently clashed with 50 members of the City's Municipal Police. The marchers employed sticks, rocks, bricks, and knives against the municipal thugs. The clash caused 12 street vendors and 25 policemen seriously wounded. Lima's informal street vendors continue refusing to pay abusive tax increases, and demand basic health care and social security benefits [Expreso, July 24, 1996].
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FOREIGN SECRET AGENT EXPOSED. The Vice President of the Spanish monopoly Telefonica in Peru, Sergio Parra, died in a violent car accident in Lima's Via Expresa highway. The first aid team at the accident's site found various personal documents in the car, among these Parra's identification card as a high ranking officer in the "National System for Cooperation with Peru's National Police (SIN ACOOP-PNP)"; his ID number was N-087. Later it was reported that Parra was an active foreign intelligence officer (CESID) in a permanent assignment for SIN (Peruvian CIA) [La Republica and various sources, July 26, 1996]. Note: It is not the first time foreign business executives are exposed as foreign intelligence officers in Peru.
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HUNDREDS ACCUSED OF TERRORISM MAY GO FREE. Alberto Kenyo Fujimori, in response to many public protests against the indiscriminate imprisonment of civilians, announced a special legal procedure through which some innocent people may be able to go free. Many human rights organizations in Peru and abroad have expressed their deep concern for the thousands of civilians being imprisoned in Peru under false charges of "terrorism" and "treason to the motherland". According to both Amnesty International and the United nations, there are 4,000 cases of people tortured "for treason" and imprisoned in Fujimori's dungeons [La Republica, July 27, 1996]. Note: Actually there are over 20,000 prisoners in concentration camps under false accusations of "terrorism" and "treason". Facts confirm Fujimori is the terrorist and traitor.
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PCP COMBATANTS DESTROY REACTIONARY SPECIAL FORCES HEADQUARTERS. In the morning of July 26, at 2:20 am, a powerful car bomb with 27 kilograms of explosives destroyed the headquarters and barracks of the National Police's Special Assault Division (anti-riots corps). The surprise attack also damaged various adjacent government buildings and private offices in Lima's center. The four guards at the headquarters main entrance were critically wounded. After a careful inspection, the Civil Defense representative, Ramon Pinto, reported that 90% of the Assault Division's facilities were destroyed or seriously damaged [La Republica and most papers, July 27, 1996].
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SENDEROLOGISTS RESPOND TO PEOPLE'S WAR. The senderologists Carlos Tapia and Raul Gonzales declared "the attack against the special forces' headquarters shows sendero is defeated". Tapia observed that at present the PCP is unified and the "peace accord" campaign directed by SIN (Peruvian CIA) has no results (it is a failure). Tapia added there is no reason to worry since the recent spectacular attack "is the last thing we shall see from sendero [PCP]" and called on the Army and police to continue their "pacification tasks". On the other hand, Gonzales observed the recent PCP offensive "reminds us sendero still exists"; he explicitly emphasized "In Peru we are close to finally defeating sendero, and it is sure we will not see any more spectacular attacks" [La Republica, July 28, 1996].
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MORE WAVES OF PEOPLE'S WAR. A series of Maoist political-military operations were deployed throughout Lima during the last week of July. Red flags were hoisted in the districts of San Juan de Miraflores and Canto Grande, and grenades were launched in the Santa Marina Sur area. The headquarters of the National Police's Special Assault Division have been destroyed. The Army and National Police were placed in maximum red alert to conduct "pacification" campaigns; over 200 civilians were arrested [La Republica, July 29, 1996].
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PCP COMBATANTS DESTROY GENERAL'S HOME AND PROPERTY. On the evening of July 29, another spectacular Maoist attack completely destroyed the private car and luxurious residence of the political-military chief of the Huallaga Front, Army General Manuel Guillermo Simon Varela Gamarra. Over 18 people were seriously wounded and 49 residences were damaged in the exclusive San Borja residential area. The house of Peru's Ambassador to France, Maria Luisa Federici, was also largely destroyed. The bomb, with 15 kilograms of pure dynamite, caused an spectacular explosion; the blast was heard in Fujimori's presidential palace. A number of pamphlets were found near the explosion site stating "genocidal drug dealing militaries and policemen shall receive JUST PUNISHMENT". General Simon Varela quickly left the Huallaga Front and arrived in Lima to inspect his ruins and gather whatever leftovers he could find; during a short interview he expressed serious concern for possible security flaws to protect his mansion [El Comercio, El Sol, La Republica and most papers, July 30, 1996].
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LIMA. The editorial in the newspaper of Peru's oligarchy, El Comercio, announces "The recent Maoist attacks in our nation's capital are clear evidence that objectively we are before a new surge of Maoist subversion" [El Comercio, July 30, 1996].
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JAVIER ESPARZA PARDONED BY FUJIMORI'S REGIME. In a long article La Republica reports the individual of Sweden, Javier Esparza Marquez, also known as "Enrique", was pardoned by Peru's Special Court for Terrorism (case number N-170-93). Esparza, husband of President Gonzalo's sister-in-law, obtained the pardon because since 1993 he collaborates and supports the call for "peace accord" which was prepared and implemented by the National Intelligence Service (SIN). Esparza obtained the pardon in January 17, 1995, but it was kept secret because it was a political decision. The public announcement was delayed to facilitate Esparza's work to win over international supporters to the call for "peace accord". The article mentions that Esparza, a renegade, opposed the armed struggle initiated in 1980 and left Peru in early 1982; later in 1986, after a self-criticism, he was allowed to participate in the development of the international support for the People's War. Esparza became a close confidant of Robert Avakian (leader of the Revolutionist Communist Party in the USA - RCP-USA) and used this opportunity to position his friends abroad as "leaders" of "support groups" in the United States, France, Belgium, Mexico, Germany and Spain. These group of self-appointed leaders also collaborated with the call for "peace accord" and have been pardoned. In the article, the English senderologist Simon Strong, author of a book on "shining pathway", declares "it was Esparza who achieved the support of the Executive Committee of the Revolutionary Internationalist Movement (CoRIM) in favor of the 'peace accord to end the People's War in Peru ', as a result CoRIM conducted a number of sabotage activities against the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Peru (PCP) and its international supporters". Simon also mentions "it was because of this that the unity of pro-pathway [pro-PCP] forces was broken. If Peru decided to pardon Esparza it must be for this...of course, this pardon also implies that he provided information of the organization in Europe"; Strong now considers "Adolfo Olaechea Cahuas and Luis Arce Borja are two of the most important pathers in Europe to reckon with". The article also reports that Esparza's pardon, and its recent public announcement, are part of "political engineering" since it was Esparza himself who informed Adolfo Olaechea Cahuas about his contacts with representatives from Fujimori's regime, and called for Olaechea's "careful consideration and opportune action" to support future calls for "peace accord" [La Republica, July 30, 1996]. Note: Since 1993 the PCP Central Committee and its international supporters have combated and defeated both Fujimori's "peace accord" and the useless manipulations of the individual in Sweden, Javier Esparza, and his clique. The only path Olaechea and Arce now follow is their own pathology.
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LIMA. Peru's Attorney General for cases of terrorism presented a motion against the decision of the Special Court for Terrorism and demanded the invalidation of the pardon given to Javier Esparza [El Comercio, El Peruano, July 31, 1996]. Note: Now that the "peace accord" farce is a failure, the regime keeps the pressure on Esparza to insure his participation in future counter-revolutionary campaigns.
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MILITARY COUP AGAINST FUJIMORI BUSTED. The Army Commander Luis Alatrista and the Army Captain Luis Alvarez, in charge of Special Forces Battalion N-19, were captured by the National Intelligence Service (SIN). The two officers were stockpiling two large arsenals of automatic rifles (FAL), machine guns, rockets and ammunition in their residences. SIN reported they were preparing a military coup against Alberto Kenyo Fujimori because of the low salaries and continuous hardship that Army officers suffer in recent years [La Republica, July 31, 1996].
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FUJIMORI HAS FAILED. The reactionary journalist Manuel D'Ornellas painfully recognized "The objective of the recent Maoist advances is to tell the population that subversion is not dead, that Fujimori's regime has failed in its attempt to end it" [Expreso, July 31, 1996].
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DINCOTE CHIEF FIRED AND REPLACED. The chief of the National Directorate for anti-terrorism (DINCOTE), General Carlos Dominguez, was sacked and replaced in view of his incompetence to prevent two spectacular PCP military offensives within 72 hours. The massive destruction of the National Police's Assault Division Headquarters and the total destruction of the Huallaga Front Chief's personal property, residence and surrounding area, as well as other coordinated Maoist attacks, have caused serious preoccupation and panic in Fujimori's regime. Many foreign observers and most of Peru's newspapers now constantly report "sendero has recovered and it is back!". General Dominguez was replaced by General Maximo Rivera Diaz [El Comercio, Expreso, El Sol and most newspapers, August 1, 1996]. Note: The PCP was never gone, it continuously develops the People's War since May 17, 1980, and at present it prepares the strategic counter-offensive to Conquer Power Nationwide. The Conquest of Power is certain.
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SENDEROLOGIST CRIES NEW VICTORY FOR THE PEOPLE'S WAR. The senderologist expert in violentology Raul Gonzales reported in an interview "The replacement of the DINCOTE chief gives to sendero [PCP] the political victory it was searching for". Gonzales, raising his voice, declared "I cannot believe it, sendero decides who should be replaced in DINCOTE...it is incredible! and it was the Minister of Interior who did it. This amounts to a political triumph for sendero!". Gonzales added "The government's political will to finish terrorism is gone, it does not exist anymore"; his conclusion was "the Minister of Interior, General Briones, is showing he is not fit for the post, and up to now who can understand his real function and responsibilities? I cannot believe it, it is incredible! now sendero is back..." [La Republica, August 1, 1996]. Note: Once again it is clear Gonzales' tale "sendero is split and defeated" is a ridiculous lie. Who crushed Gonzales'lies? The invincible People's War led by the Communist Party of Peru (PCP).
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PEOPLE'S ARMY TAKES TOWNS IN THE NORTH. EPL mobile columns, led by the PCP, took control of the towns of Sihuas and Chiquian (196 kilometers from the city of Huaraz). The Maoist forces conducted armed propaganda and agitation; the local government representatives were asked to resign [El Sol, August 4, 1996].
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PCP OFFENSIVE IN THE HUALLAGA FRONT. The reactionary Army and National Police mobilized their special forces in response to a recent Maoist military offensive in Huanuco. Armored helicopters and river gun boats supported the gigantic operation to capture various EPL columns operating in the area [La Republica, August 5, 1996]. Note: See following report from Caretas of August 9.
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THE NEW YORK TIMES REPORTS PCP OFFENSIVES. The imperialist world media cannot hide any longer the victories of the People's War led by the Communist Party of Peru (PCP) in the inevitable advance towards THE CONQUEST OF POWER NATIONWIDE. Calvin Sims, through his usual biased journalism, reports "The guerrillas bombed a central police station charged with protecting the Peruvian Congress and the house of a general who is the military chief in a region where the rebels have a stronghold. Following assertions that the attacks were made possible by security lapses, the chief of Peru's anti-terrorist police resigned"; the Fujimori regime "in the last 18 months...has detained [arrested] more than 500,000 suspects" [The New York Times, August 5, 1996]. Note: Calvin Sims also reports "the latest wave of assaults...is particularly troubling because it was well coordinated and penetrated sensitive government and military targets". So his story of "security lapses" goes down the drain; the powerful attacks were masterfully planned political-military operations and well executed by the Communist Party of Peru (PCP) and the People's Army (EPL). Of course, Sim's article has its usual large portion of slanders and misinformation against the PCP, for instance "terrorism experts said that contacts within the group indicated that shining path has now splintered into numerous factions". This is a repetition of the ancient tale of "sendero is split and defeated", and in this way Calvin Sims presents his wishful thinking as objective facts; it is easy to allege "experts say that contacts say" the moon is purple!. He repeats old lies with cheap manipulations. What terrorism experts? Where? no facts at all. Could Calvin Sims be considered "a journalist"? How ridiculous! His work --and the New York Times-- only serve the Yankee strategy of imperialist low intensity warfare, that is they serve the interests of greedy rich bankers in Wall Street and big capitalists and landlords who exploit and oppress all working class people. Calvin Sims also plagiarizes and repeats the old senderologist pathology of "numerous factions" in the "shining pathway" have new leaders "from the past"; in Sim's own words: "The factions are being coordinated by a new group of leaders who had been part of the shining path during its infancy in the 1970's but who had left the group after a dispute with Mr. Guzman over the timing of his decision to take up arms in 1980". Sims is simply preparing the ground for portraying the old traitor and Fujimori's puppet Javier Esparza as a "leader of a shining pathway faction". Javier Esparza has been rewarded by Fujimori's regime for collaborating and supporting the "peace accord" campaign prepared and implemented by the National Intelligence Services-SIN (see previous report from La Republica, July 30, 1996). Moreover, in another article of The New York Times, August 8, 1996, Calvin Sims repeats other senderologist tales and portrays the paramilitary death squads of big landlords and drug barons as "civilian patrols", that is "civilian" because they do not wear uniforms. But Sims not only manipulates false appearances, he simply lies, for instance, let us view his absurd lie "Shining Pathway is a Maoist revolutionary group bent on overthrowing the Government and turning Peru into an agrarian society". Here it is clear that Calvin Sims is bent on constantly slandering the COMMUNIST PARTY OF PERU (PCP), he calls it "shining pathway...a revolutionary group"; further, "turning Peru into agrarian society" is another cheap lie. If he is a journalists, Sims would do a bit of research and find out once and for all that the People's War is the principal form of class struggle in Peru's democratic revolution, and it is supported by and serves the People's Committees of Workers and Peasants, the very essence of the proletariat-peasant alliance to construct the People's New Power and People's Republic of Peru, to serve the people's interests, the People's Rights, their class rights to education, culture, arts, science, philosophy, health care, adequate housing and recreation areas, and dignifying employment, with the proletarian application and development of technology to increase industrial production, thus reducing the required working hours and the number of working days; in synthesis, freedom from working one's skin off for greedy capitalists and landlords; which necessarily implies a society without exploitation nor repression, without constant economic crisis and massive unemployment, without misery, debts, disease, ignorance, drug addiction, prostitution, etc. Things which obviously the landlord-bureaucratic dictatorship in Peru, or the US government in its own country, cannot provide, and will never be able to provide, because capitalism --in its present form: imperialist monopoly capitalism-- is a parasitic and genocidal system, based on the exploitation and oppression of all working class people. Thus, to portray "turning Peru into an agrarian society" as the solution to Peru's problems is a sinister deception, a simplistic distortion of the interests of the working class masses in Peru. The New York Times and its mercenary Calvin Sims hardly provide any news, they mostly provide pathetic deceptions. Who believes Calvin Sims? Nobody.
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FUJIMORI AND DRUG DEALERS. There is confusion over Fujimori's evasive answer when questioned about the recent article published in Mexico's newspaper "Reforma". The Mexican daily reported that Vladimiro Montesinos, Fujimori's main advisor and master of SIN, and Santiago Fujimori, Fujimori's brother, are closely linked to various Mexican mafias involved in cocaine and heroine trade [El Comercio, August 5, 1996].
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PSYCHIATRIC ADVISOR FOR FUJIMORI. Various newspapers report Fujimori's irritated tone in response to a recent report in which the german-trained psychiatrist Sigisfredo Luza is listed as a Presidential Advisor. Luza is also the "intellectual author" of various of Fujimori's initiatives to control Peru's universities [La Republica, August 5, 1996].
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PEOPLE'S ARMY CLASHES WITH PARAMILITARY DEATH SQUADS. Two EPL columns confronted the paramilitary rondas in Satipo, near the Ene river. The clash took place at 3:00 am, August 5; reports list two EPL casualties and one rondero eliminated [El Comercio, August 7, 1996].
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LIMA. The retired Army General Sinesio Jarama, an antisubversive expert, declared "The widespread social and economic inequalities in Peru are the reasons for sendero's [PCP's] advance, it recruits many hopeless youth from poor sectors of society"; he added "sendero is not divided, there are no antagonistic elements in its organization", "If the present leaders are captured, other young leaders will emerge, because there is a large quantity of people with leadership and Gonzalo Thought in the head. In conclusion, we cannot eliminate subversion by capturing leaders, because the conditions of poverty and misery still exist and support their cause". General Jarama made an explicit call on Fujimori and the Minister of Interior to respond for the recent incompetence shown in the civil war "They are the ones who should respond now, they simply believed their own exaggerations, they have stated over and over, and in many places, that sendero's leadership is captured and the problem is over, now it turns out things are not that way" [La Republica, August 7, 1996].
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PERUVIAN CONGRESS DEMANDS ANSWERS. Various senators from the legal opposition demand explanations from Fujimori in relation to the recent wave of Maoist offensives. Senators Gustavo Mohme and Fernando Olivera pointed out "Fujimori and the armed forces have been deceived by their own propaganda of the final triumph against sendero". The Senators also called on the Minister of Interior to come to Congress and explain the failures in the antisubversive war [La Republica, August 7, 1996].
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POWERFUL INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT FOR THE PEOPLE'S WAR. International supporters in the five continents intensify their revolutionary support for the Communist Party of Peru (PCP) leading the People's War towards the Conquest of Power Nationwide. The international support for the revolutionary struggle in Peru is closely linked to the struggle against opportunism and revisionism at the international level. Comrades in Australia have launched the just and correct call to BOMBARD THE BOURGEOIS HEADQUARTERS IN CoRIM; at the same time, supporters in North America and Europe also center their support towards achieving the next great leap in the People's War: SEIZE POWER NATIONWIDE! CONQUER POWER NATIONWIDE! CONQUISTAR EL PODER EN TODO EL PAIS! [Rabblerouser, The New Flag, June, July, August, 1996]
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AYACUCHO. PEOPLE'S ARMY DEFEATS LANDLORDS PARAMILITARY SQUADS. The People's Army (EPL), led by the Communist Party of Peru (PCP), deployed mobile armed columns in the province of Huanta (Ayacucho). Various EPL columns entered the district of Ayahuanco at 8:00 pm, August 6, and attacked the paramilitary base of ronderos (death squads led by big landlords). Two ronderos (black heads) were eliminated; the paramilitary base was overrun and destroyed [Expreso, August 8, 1996].
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HUANCAVELICA. PEOPLE'S ARMY DESTROYS CAPITALIST CORPORATIONS. Caretas magazine, on its edition of August 9, publishes in detail some of the events related to the recent PCP offensive in Huancavelica. In synthesis, on July 29, at 9:00 pm, the People's Army (EPL), led by the PCP, took over the installations of the construction companies Guiconsa, Translei and T&T in Izcuchaca (Huancavelica). The EPL conducted a coordinated deployment of various mobile columns in the surrounding areas to prevent any interference with the operation. Each EPL column is composed of 50 combatants or more. Workers at the site were gathered and asked to express their grievances; during the dialogue an EPL combatant expressed "The dictatorship is always asking for more and more sacrifices, and people are starving, living in misery, this genocidal system of exploitation deserves to perish! They said we were defeated, but here we are; we want to know your problems, help you solve them; what about your salaries? what about the abuses?". The EPL liberated communication equipment, computers, dynamite, and the food supplies stored in the corporations' deposits. All the construction equipment, the private vehicles of executives, and a few trucks were destroyed with powerful explosives before the Maoist forces left the site. The operation lasted about three hours and there were no casualties. It is not the first time the EPL deploys its forces in the area, in July 1995 the construction companies were asked to leave, but they refused and continued the construction of a roadway to transport the goods that big private firms export abroad, as well as for the rapid transport of government troops. The corporations' executives were quite aware of various EPL columns operating in the area, but when government protection was requested, they were informed it could not be available [Caretas, August 9, 1996].
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HUANUCO. PEOPLE'S ARMY TAKES CITY OF AUCAYACU. The People's Army (EPL), led by the Communist Party of Peru (PCP), deployed its forces throughout the province of Leoncio Prado (Huanuco), and various EPL columns entered the city of Aucayacu (population 20,000) during the evening of August 2, 1996. About 250 EPL combatants surrounded the city's police station and forced the police unit (20 policemen) to remain inside the station; according to some city residents, the EPL practically pardoned the policemen's lives, since the EPL did not overrun the station as in previous attacks; only three policemen were wounded. Other EPL units searched for two well known drug barons who live in the city, "Cristal" and "Champa", but somehow the two criminals managed to