Photo: Latin Press.
Lima, July 6 (RHC) Three former interior ministers from different governments agreed this Thursday to downplay interference by remnants of an armed group in upcoming anti-government protests announced in Peru.
Former owners Wilfredo Pedraza, Carlos Morán and cluber Aliaga expressed their respect after the distribution of a video in which “Vilma”, part of what is left of the Sendero Luminoso group, calls for the protests to be turned into a takeover of the cities.
The three agreed to indicate that the uprisings were unable to mobilize the population or influence the protests that would start on July 19 and called for President Dina Boluarte to resign.
Pedraza, who was interior minister in the nationalist government of Ollanta Humala (2011-16), pointed out that the remnants of Sendero Luminoso’s splinter faction are cornered in wild territory in the center of the country, where they operate sporadically.
“His influence is almost nil, there may be a lot of people on the left in Peru,” but he is alien to the aforementioned group, he added, noting that the call for the cities to take over is “an abstract, empty allegory “be without any trace of reality”
“I don’t think I’m in a position to lead the masses or people who can change the direction of the march, let alone take over the country,” he added.
Morán, who held the ministerial post under Martín Vizcarra’s interim government (2018-2020), stated that the above video should not cause confusion about the legitimacy of the protest announced by social organizations.
He pointed out that the remaining Senderistas are trying to “carry water for their mill” and gain resonance by exploiting existing discontent in the country, but “they don’t have the organizational capacity to change the order”.
Cluber Aliaga, a former police officer who was briefly a minister in Pedro Castillo’s government, said the remnant group wanted to exploit existing discontent.
“This group does not represent a major force that could threaten national security,” he said.
Prime Minister Alberto Otárola, in his speech marking the 40th anniversary of the anti-terrorist investigative unit, highlighted a video published by the rebel, known under the pseudonym “Vilma”.
He slammed the video’s call for cities to take over the protests, saying Vilma’s rousing sermons “clash with law enforcement,” while the right-wing daily alleges there are terrorist influences in the protests, which include social groups Organizations from almost all over the country called. (Spring: Latin Press).