Abimael Guzmán’s group, Sendero Luminoso (SL), has caused damage to the country that the truth commission has already described: Sendero has assassinated popular leaders, political leaders, and has led thousands of wills of the vanguard down a bad path. The death of Abimael Guzmán closes a stage in the framework of its political and ideological defeat, a defeat that strengthened Fujimorism and weakened the popular movement, despite the fact that the people confronted it.
Sendero facilitated for Fujimori the implementation of the neoliberal adjustment plans, a plan that cuts workers’ rights and empowers the bosses. SL has made his “people’s war” his permanent strategy, liquidating an important vanguard of the workers’ and people’s movement. And allowing repression and terror against any critical voice of the neoliberal economic model. It is necessary to know that SL considered the left as its enemy, both along with the right-wing parties, proof of this is that they assassinated many leaders from the left-wing camp: Saul Muñoz (mayor of Huancayo IU), Enrique Castilla (textile workers’ leader), Porfirio Suni (national deputy) and the list goes on.
SL and the left are like water and oil, it is impossible for them to mix. Movadef’s strategy was to release all those who are currently in prison for implementing a policy of terror and violation of human rights, that is, in practice they demanded freedom for Abimael Guzmán, Alberto Fujimori and Vladimiro Montesinos. They were prepared to justify the release of Fujimori and Montesinos, while freeing their leader. The death of the Sendero Luminoso leader occurred in the context of the “terruqueo”. This was used to instill fear, terror and panic in the less informed sectors and even the upper middle class. This has to be stopped with organization.
Currently, the plan of the Peruvian right wing is in the same style as its counterparts in Latin America. In Colombia, Ivan Duque’s government is terrorizing the left and labeling all critical thinking as communist. The right celebrates the death of the terrorist leader; however, it does so at the cost of scattering any social or political leader. The Congress of the Republic is used by this right wing as a center of operations to accuse ministers of being Shining Path and to denounce them in order to create the conditions for Castillo’s removal.
The crimes of the SL lead us to conclude that it is important, urgent and necessary to build a political reference point of the left that is the genuine expression of the interests of the working class and the people. A party that does not seek to replace the movement or do “heroic deeds” on its behalf. A party with internal democracy and a socialist perspective that accompanies the popular movement in its daily struggle for a New Constitution and the changes that our country demands. We are part of NUEVO PERÚ and we call on everyone to join this project.
