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SCOTT PALMER, David/BOLÍVAR, Alberto
Shining Path of Perú: Recent Dynamics and Future Prospects
2012
Instituto de Iberoamérica. Universidad de Salamanca
peru, shining path, maoism, drug trafficking policy, vrae, counterinsurgency policies, latin america
Resumen:
Although soundly defeated in the early mid-1990s, Shining Path did not
disappear. Over the past five years, it has reemerged in a substantially
different form, with both a military and a political component. The
organization, once again coordinated by jailed leader Abimael Guzmán Reynoso,
has eschewed shorter-term military objectives in favor of a longer-term
strategy of slowly rebuilding popular support and establishing a party within
the Peruvian political system. In so doing, it has also moved from extreme
Maoist ideological rigidity to a more pragmatic approach. Financial support is
derived once again from cocaine production and trafficking in the Upper
Huallaga Valley (UHV).
Although there may be some individual exceptions, Shining Path is not a
narcoterrorist organization. At the same time, Sendero is still very small, in
no way a threat to the Peruvian state, and divided. The Lima-based political
organization and the military wing in the UHV continue to follow Guzmán’s
leadership, while the Apurímac-Ene Valleys (VRAE) group remains committed to
the armed struggle. The GOP response to date, both military and civilian, has
been inadequate. VRAE military operations are hampered by poor leadership,
ill-trained troops, and an outdated strategy.
VRAE development resources have been cut, and the long-promised paved
road remains in the planning stage. Without significant GOP adjustments,
Shining Path is likely to continue to grow.
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