Two people were killed in a recent search for Victor Quispe Palomino, the leader of the remnants of the terrorist group Sendero Luminoso in the mountainous jungle region of Peru. The operation was carried out by patrols of the Armed Forces, Peruvian National Police, and representatives of the Public Ministry. During the encounter, an officer named Emanuel Guimaraes Chavez and an alleged terrorist identified as “Paulino” lost their lives. The military had received intel about the possible location of Quispe Palomino and part of his Central Committee in the Vizcatán del Ene region, hence the ‘Orion’ operation was initiated.
The Armed Forces have been trying to find the leader of Sendero Luminoso for years. The group first emerged in the 1980s and was responsible for a number of terrorist acts in Peru, including bombings and assassinations. While their capabilities have been significantly weakened, a remnant remains in the wilderness of the mountainous jungle in central and southern Peru, known as the Valley of the Apurímac, Ene, and Mantaro Rivers. This region also houses various drug trafficking cartels, with whom Sendero Luminoso is believed to have a close alliance.
In the latest operation, one person identified as “Álvaro” was captured and labelled as part of “comrade José’s” “external security”. He reported that four other subversives who were responsible for the security rings of “comrade José” lost their lives in the operation.
It is unclear what led to the operation and the tensions that ended in the death of an officer and a suspect. Nevertheless, the security forces are bound to continue carrying out operations until they accomplish their mission to wipe out Sendero Luminoso in Peru.
Sendero Luminoso was a terrorist group that brought chaos and destruction to Peru in the 1980s. Their violent history has left a mark on the country, and the remnants of the group continue to pose a significant danger. The security forces will continue to track and confront these remnants in the hope of eradicating them from the country. The latest operation is a testimony to that resolve.
