| These events are unfolding in the context of the 17-year-long People's War led by the Communist Party of Peru (PCP). In 1992, the president of Peru,
Alberto Fujimori, staged a coup to assume dictatorial rule over the country
and instituted more brutal and sweeping forms of repression against the
revolutionary movement -- and anyone else critical of the government.
These are verbatim quotes and have not been "paraphrased," however, some have been edited slightly for length and clarity. We invite and encourage you to fax or mail articles about Peru that you come across in newspapers, magazines, etc. to the CSRP. With your help, the CSRP will be able to make "Peru News Bullets" an ongoing resource for our members, supporters, and others trying to follow events in Peru. |
Concern is growing that Mr. Fujimori is now manipulating the political process and tightening his already close ties with the military [Voice of America 7/22/97].
“I came because I want to tell the president that he cannot think about getting away with the disregard for people he is showing,” said an angry demonstrator who left his job as a fruit seller early to join the protest and had blood dripping from his forehead from a clash with police [Houston Chronicle 7/17/97]. "A few weeks ago I would have been afraid to march against the government, because people who protest are often killed and tortured…but Fujimori has gone too far this time. There is no hope for our children," said a teacher who demonstrated in front of the Presidential Palace [New York Times 7/21/97]. In response to the question, “Do you support the demonstrations that are being held against President Fujimori,” 92% of Lima residents surveyed said that they do [La Republica (Lima, Peru) 7/20/97].
[Reuter 6/5/97 on last month’s protests:] Protestors hurled stones and used heavy sticks to beat police, who responded with tear gas, dogs and horse charges... Demonstrators banged drums and waved communist flags. A coffin with the names of Fujimori and his intelligence chief, Montesinos, was kicked to pieces.
Five new ministers took up their posts on Friday as the dust settled from a turbulent cabinet reshuffle widely interpreted as strengthening the military’s grip on power...Analysts said the appointment of military heads Gen. Saucedo and Gen. Villanueva to the defense and interior ministries respectively boosted the armed forces’ sway...“We want to emphatically express our subordination, loyalty and disciplined support (to President Fujimori)” said armed forces head Gen. Hermoza at a hastily called ceremony attended by the military top brass [Reuter 7/18/97].
Military leaks have revealed that the intelligence services have the capacity to simultaneously record about 5,000 phone lines...but regularly use half of this capacity [Caretas (Lima, Peru) 7/20/97]. Wiretapping scandal and the steamrolling of the press have stroked fears among some business leaders that their interests may soon be affected [Miami Herald 7/19/97].
Documents suggest the president was not born in Peru and thus is
ineligible for the office he holds…circumstances suggested that
the source (of the documents) may have been government officials
who want to undermine Fujimori. For years, rumors have circulated
that the biggest skeleton in Fujimori's closet was that he was not
Peruvian-born and that his closest adviser, Vladimiro Montesinos,
who heads the intelligence agency, had skillfully concealed the
fact. Political analysts maintain that Fujimori jointly rules Peru
with Montesinos Gen. Nicolas Hermoza. But a recent string of
scandals that have tarnished Fujimori's reputation have led many
analysts to conclude that Montesinos and Hermoza are seeking to
oust Fujimori. [New York Times 7/25/97]
Her superiors started to suspect her of (leaking) military plans to intimidate and assassinate opposition activists and journalists. "One day I arrived at work and everybody was silent and staring at me," she said. Intelligence officers…led her down to the basement of army headquarters. She heard screams from the dank cells—and grew afraid for the first time. They jolted her with electricity, leaving her hands and feet burned and scarred. Grabbing her by the hair, they bashed her head again and again into walls and a table, injuring her spinal cord. "They beat me with their fists, covering me with cushions so as not to leave bruises," she said.
On Feb. 17, she was taken to a military hospital, bleeding from her nose and vagina from the beatings. She stayed silent about the torture until a fellow agent...was found dead near a highway outside Lima in late March. Her head and hands had been hacked off, her spine snapped in half. "It was then I understood that if I kept quiet, I would be the next victim." La Rosa says she regularly saw the death squad's members at army intelligence headquarters. "They continue in activity, continue in their normal functions. They go in and out as if it's their home," she said.
"Leonor La Rosa is being manipulated politically, leading her to make totally false statements," (ex-)Justice Minister Carlos Hermoza Moya said. In May, however, a military court sentenced four army intelligence officers to eight years in prison for torturing La Rosa [Associated Press 6/27/97].
On July 6, two high-tension electrical towers located between Aucayacu and Tingo Maria were demolished (by unknown persons). The towers were located high in a heavily forested area [El Comercio 7/7/97].
Maoist Shining Path guerrillas fought police in a poor Lima suburb and then set off a car bomb that injured at least eight officers and caused widespread damage. Propaganda was found nearby reading ``Long live the 17th anniversary of the People’s War” and ``Long live the street-vendors' struggle!'' The pamphlets referred to the group's May 17, 1980 launching of its insurgency, and recent violent clashes between police and thousands of street- vendors being evicted from downtown Lima [Reuter 5/15/97].
Committee to Support the Revolution in Peru
PO Box 1246, Berkeley, California 94701
415-252-5786 * Fax: 415-252-7414