Shining Path facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Communist Party of Peru
Partido Comunista del Perú
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| Abbreviation | PCP (official) PCP-SL (unofficial) |
| Leaders |
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| Founder | Abimael Guzmán |
| Founded | 1969 (de facto) |
| Split from | Peruvian Communist Party (Red Flag) |
| Armed wing | People's Liberation Army |
| Ideology |
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| Political position | Far-left |
| International affiliation |
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| Colors | Red |
| Slogan | ¡Viva la Guerra Popular! ¡Guerra Popular hasta el comunismo! ("Long live the People's War! People's War until communism!") |
| Party flag | |
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The Shining Path (Spanish: Sendero Luminoso) is a group from Peru. They also call themselves the Communist Party of Peru (Partido Comunista del Perú, abbr. PCP). This group is known for its far-left political views and for being a guerrilla group.
In 1980, the Shining Path started what they called a "people's war." Their main goal was to take over the government in Peru. They wanted to do this through fighting and replace the existing government with a new system. They hoped to create a "dictatorship of the proletariat" and bring about a "cultural revolution." Their final aim was to achieve "full communism" around the world.
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Why the Shining Path Is Condemned
The Shining Path has been widely criticized for its extreme violence. They used force against many people, including farmers and workers. They also targeted other groups with similar political ideas and elected officials. Many governments and international organizations see the Shining Path as a terrorist group.
International Views on the Group
Governments like Peru, Japan, the United States, the European Union, and Canada consider the Shining Path a terrorist organization. Because of this, they do not allow anyone to give money or other financial help to the group. This is to stop their violent actions.
Decline of the Shining Path
The Shining Path's activities have greatly decreased over time. This happened after their main leaders were captured.
Key Leaders Captured
- Abimael Guzmán, who founded the group, was captured in 1992.
- His successor, Óscar Ramírez, was captured in 1999.
- Another leader, Comrade Artemio, was captured in 2012.
These captures weakened the group a lot.
Remaining Faction Today
Today, the main part of the Shining Path that is still active is called the Militarized Communist Party of Peru (MPCP). This group operates in a region of Peru known as the Valle de los Ríos Apurímac, Ene y Mantaro (VRAEM). The MPCP has stated that they are different from the original Shining Path's past actions.
