The Militarized Communist Party of Peru (Spanish: Militarizado Partido Comunista del Perú, MPCP[note 1]) is a terrorist organization in Peru that follows Maoism and participates in the communist insurgency of Peru. The MPCP primarily operates in the troubled VRAEM area and is involved in the area's coca production.[2] Comrade José has been the leader of MPCP since its creation in 2018 after its split from the declining Shining Path (SL) terrorist group.[3]

The MPCP is considered by Peru and other international entities to be the direct successor to Shining Path, as most members were previous members of the group. Ideologically, the group brands itself as Maoist, although it is very different from the original SL.[4] The MPCP has been influenced by Andean ethnic and ultranationalist beliefs from former members of the Peruvian Armed Forces,[5] and has moved away from the anti-religious stance of SL.[3]

The MPCP has stated it has severed ties with the leader of Shining Path, Abimael Guzmán, and as such, it recognizes the actions of SL in the VRAEM region as genocide.[6] However, the MPCP itself has been accused of human rights violations, including slavery of indigenous peoples,[7] recruitment of children for use as child soldiers,[6] and terrorist attacks against civilians and members of the Peruvian government, including the recent San Miguel del Ene attack on May 23, 2021, killing at least 14 people in the Satipo Province of Peru.

Notes

  1. ^ Until 2018, the MPCP was unofficially referred to as the Remanentes de Sendero Luminoso (Remnants of Shining Path) or Sendero Luminoso en el VRAEM (Shining Path in the VRAEM); the Peruvian government continues to call the MPCP that way as the direct successor to Shining Path.[1]

References

  1. ^ "Sendero Luminoso sufre deserciones por estrategia militar y policial en el Vraem". gob.pe. Gobierno del Perú. 2020-02-21. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  2. ^ "Peru's Shining Path Plots Unlikely Return to Power". InSight Crime. 2019-09-23. Retrieved 2021-05-27.
  3. ^ a b LR, Redacción (2018-06-09). "Terrorista "José" amenaza con más ataques a las fuerzas del orden". La República (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-05-27.((cite web)): CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  4. ^ Sputnik (2019-08-23). "Guerrilla maoísta Sendero Luminoso ya no existe en Perú, asegura especialista". Diario Digital Nuestro País/El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-05-27.((cite web)): CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  5. ^ "El Militarizado PC mantiene contactos con exmilitares ultranacionalistas". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 2018-06-13. Retrieved 2021-05-27.((cite web)): CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  6. ^ a b Meza, Junior (2019-03-07). ""Somos conscientes de las matanzas [de Sendero en el Vraem], eso no puede quedar impune"". Ojo Público (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-05-27.((cite web)): CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ Leon, Ricardo (2020-02-13). "Policías y militares buscan al menos 10 terroristas armados que desertaron en el Vraem | PERU". [[El Comercio (Peru)|]] (in Spanish). Retrieved 2021-05-27.((cite web)): CS1 maint: url-status (link)
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