There’s a theory that when U.S. mainstream news starts running stories about a foreign country, it’s because the U.S. is planning on invading that country. Since I’m a permanent resident of Bolivia, friends in the U.S. ask me what’s going on in the Andes.
They tell me that Peru has been mentioned many times recently in the U.S. news. In just the last day or so a lot of articles about Peru were in the U.S. press. Here’s a small sample: An article about food in Peru appeared in a Las Vegas newspaper. NPR reported on infant mortality in Peru. And the Washington Post ran a story about a corrupt Peruvian military official.
Friends ask me, is the U.S. preparing to invade Peru?
To try and answer their question I started asking around and keeping my eyes and ears open. At the People’s World Conference on Climate Change, which was held October 10-12 in Tiquipaya, Bolivia, I heard a Peruvian delegate say how distressing it is having U.S. soldiers in Peru.
U.S. military in Peru was news to me, so I searched online for articles. I found that, yes indeed, the U.S. has sent over 3,000 Marines to Peru, and the Peruvian people are marching in protest.
News agency teleSUR correspondent Rael Mora suggests that the Marines may be in Peru to destabilize democratically elected presidents in the region (such as Evo Morales, the President of neighboring Bolivia).
The teleSUR article reported that protesters “drew attention to the history of U.S. military presence and its deadly consequences, including its involvement in massacres, torture, disappearances, and other human rights abuses. Many of Peru’s more than 70,000 disappearances during the country’s so-called ‘war on terror’ counter-insurgency strategy between 1980 and 2000 have been seen as part of the U.S.-backed Operation Condor, which saw dictatorships quash rebellious voices and leftist movements throughout the continent.”
The Spanish language website defensa.com, dedicated to “Armies, weapons, technology on the web,” ran a lengthy article describing the movements of the U.S. Marines in Peru.
The Marine Corps Times says that U.S. Marines are training Peruvian military to violently suppress the Shining Path, citizens who have a different vision for the people than their government does, yet have used violence in pursuit of their goals, like their government. However, a 2012 Reuter’s article reports that the Shining Path has changed its violent ways and is instead using theatre and school clubs to build solidarity among people who are harmed by neoliberal policies that make the rich richer and the poor poorer.
The article reveals that “security documents reviewed by Reuters show the armed forces think Movadef (the political arm of Shining Path) and leftist groups have stepped up protests to sow disorder as part of a ‘common goal: vacating the presidency through a coup by the masses,’ like demonstrations that brought down leaders in Ecuador, Bolivia and Argentina over the last decade.”
Will U.S. news soon be filled with stories comparing the Shining Path to Isis, as an excuse to wage war in the land of Machu Picchu?
Do the U.S. Marines in Peru have any connection to protecting the business interests of MMG’s gigantic Las Bambas mine in Peru, to open in 2016 despite protests that left four dead and 16 seriously injured last month?
Time will tell.
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Unfortunately I have to say that I am not shocked by U.S. Marines
in Peru. The U.S. military has and has had a presence in so many countries. I am surprised though as I had not heard anything about this. Kudos to the author for bringing this into the light and for writing such an interesting, informative and well-researched article.
I agree with the hypotheses presented in the article—the
Marines are there to destabilize democratically elected presidents in the
region (who are not our buddies) and/or protect mining interests. I’m glad to
see that people are resisting.
For many years, I have been involved with the efforts of
Denver Justice and Peace Committee to raise awareness about and protest the
activities of Denver-based Newmont Mining Corporation in Cajamarca Peru.
Newmont operates the largest gold mining site in all of South and Central
America (18 football field long)—one that has caused displacement
and environmental degradation, particularly water contamination of streams and
rivers, for local, largely indigenous populations. Now, Newmont is planning for
a second mega mine. Reportedly, protests
have been suppressed by governmental and private security forces.
Wouldn’t it just be something if the Marines were there to
protect the rights of poor people and democratically elected leaders? Wouldn’t
that be great.
Dear Barbara,
Thank you for letting us know about the important work you, and others, are doing to protect our Mother Earth and indigenous people who are suffering from the actions of U.S.-supported transnational businesses. My heart feels happy imagining the future you articulate, where the U.S. Marines would be deployed to protect the rights of poor people and democratically elected leaders.