- Background.
For several years, Peru has been receiving police and military cooperation from the US government. Each year US officers enter temporarily to our country to train officers of our Armed Forces and National Police. Now, the Peruvian Congress has approved Legislative Resolutions 31757 and 31758, one of them with a large scope of influence, which gives place to the “Centinela Resuelto 2023” operation. This operation entails a military exercise with two goals: achieving interoperability in combat tasks, humanitarian assistance and disaster response; as well as, the deployment of 1000 men for 3 months armed with weapons of war, including fighter and transport planes, across the Peruvian coastline.
Pursuant to the Constitution, the Congress of the Republic is responsible for authorizing such entry (art. 441 and 102.82). In the last 20 years, the Defense and Homeland Security Committee has been managed by the most conservative political forces (APRA, PPC, Fuerza Popular, Renovación Popular, Avanza País). These have made sure they get the votes to favor these operations, without further analyzing their consequences. It is the same Congress that is responsible for weakening democratic institutions, softening environmental regulations, and denying the PIACI’s rights3, thus weakening Peru’s democratic regime. Over 90% of citizens disapprove this Congress, which has avoided its responsibility, failing to conduct a weighed analysis of the consequences of such periodical authorization, within the domestic scope and abroad. - Three main problems.
Approval of such Resolutions, one of which authorizes the “Centinela Resuelto 2023”4 operation within the Peruvian territory, produces several geopolitical, social and legal problems affecting Peru’s and Latin America’s sovereignty:
2.1 The alleged need for military assistance.
It is said that these exercises will support the Peruvian Armed Forces’ training and skills, but it is not the case. The “Centinela Resuelto 2023” exercise, similar to the prior “UNITAS” and “Halcón-Cóndor” exercises, arises from initiatives of the Department of Defense and the South Command expressed in Diplomatic Notes that are processed by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Defense, the Congress and the Presidency of the Republic. This is similar to the process followed by the Law Enforcement training Academy, the regular anti-drug assistance and the biological center NAMRU-6, all examples of how this country acts unilaterally.
The United States continues to refuse to provide effective and timely information for air interception of light airplanes suspected of carrying drugs, within the framework of the Law 303395. We shall consider the US National Security Doctrine and what was pointed out by General Laura Richardson, Chief of the South Command, on their interest on strategic natural resources in South America6.
Reality indicates that Peru is going through a severe crisis on matters related to means of Defense, except for some specific cases (means of transport, helicopters, and civil ships). We have limited capacities to respond to our needs (protection of the Amazon region and its borders, and the Grau’s sea, for instance), but we shall solve it making our own decisions, and with our own budget. These exercises strengthen our reliance on US initiatives.
2.2 Bad timing, twice.
At a time when Brazil’s President Lula is offering the world -during the G-7 meeting (Hiroshima, Japan)- a peaceful way to address the conflict in Europe, stating that equidistance and non-intervention shall be the governing principles of Latin America’s foreign policy, we don’t think it is right that one of the South American members shall compromise its sovereignty to maintain a relationship with the US and NATO military doctrine.
Furthermore, this major military exercise is announced at the same time the South American community has been gathering in Brasilia7 to reestablish regional cooperation, discussing the possibility to move towards a South American security and defense doctrine that will support balance vis-à-vis global powers, and prioritizing the defense of the Amazon region and its biodiversity against climate change, illegal economies and extractive activities. Likewise, the South American role is going to be defined within the framework of the BRICS’ process.
2.3 Washington’s double talk.
In the case of Peru, it is not clear what is the White House’s priority: strengthening democracy in the country or promoting its geo-strategic interests?
The State Department has expressed its concern on the way demonstrations -held in December and January- were repressed. 71 civilians were dead (most of them, of an indigenous origin) 8, and -according to several international reports- the Armed Forces and National Police were responsible for that. These are the same officers that will receive the abovementioned training in territories that are under a state of emergency (Puno). On January 30, this year, a group of 20 Congressmen sent a letter to President Biden on this subject. In addition, the Defense Department has been discretely
requesting to several South American countries to deliver Russian weapons to Ukraine, which will draw us away from the non-intervention principle. What seems to be important for the US government -according to its National Security Doctrine9-, is not losing its presence within the region’s political rearrangement, counter China’s growing economic, commercial and political influence within the region, and avert Russian threat by providing weapons to Ukraine.
Because of the abovementioned reasons, THE UNDERSIGNED reject the presence of US military officers in Peru and Latin America, as well as the “Centinela Resuelto 2023” exercise, which disturb the environment of peace, stability and non-intervention that shall prevail in our region. Moreover, we regret the role played by our institutions, which are supposed to ensure our Security and Defense. These include the Congress, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and agencies representing the Armed Forces and National Police, who participated in this procedure.
Lima, June 7 of 2023
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Nombre Documento de identidad Nacionalidad/Región
Héctor Béjar 08784630 peruano.
Aida García Naranjo 06658111 peruana
Luis M. Sirumbal 07833813 peruano
Josefina Huamán 07242254 peruana
Sergio Tejada Galindo 40750540 peruano
Hugo Cabieses Cubas 10585951 peruano
Guillermo Burneo Seminario 06724774 Piura
Alberto Adrianzén 07238397 peruano
Laura Arroyo 43923695 peruana
Tania Pariona Tarqui 42507622 Ayacucho
Julio Cusirichi Palacios 04816553 Indígena, Madre de Dios
Raquel Yrigoyen Fajardo 06844190 peruana
Alberto Quintanilla Chacón 01203752 Puno
Jans Cavero 28299926 Ayacucho
César Lecca Arrieta 07812924 peruano
Grover Sandi 44547225 Loreto
David Roca Basadre 09490813 peruano
Jaime Galdós Cruz 25848035 Callao
Carlos Bedoya 10813358 peruano
Anahí Durand Guevara 10783805 peruana
Armando Pillado Matheu 06654536 peruano
Ricardo Soberón Garrido 06625316 peruano
José Cornejo S. 06415601 peruano
Francesca Emanuele Neyra 43841191 peruana
Roberto Sánchez Piérola 10221524 peruano
José Fachín Ruiz 42897002 Loreto
Demetrio Laurente Eslava 09902661 peruano
Enrique Castro Vargas 07764841 peruano
Guisell Muro Orbezo 43220511 Loreto
Ana Ríos González 05405160 Loreto
Fernando Dávila Montoya 07604632 peruano
Andrés Luna Vargas 02602266 Piura
Carmen Loyola Sirumbal 08741763 peruana
Marleni Canales Rubio 04824982 Ayacucho
Nelson Yupanqui 42561872 VRAEM
Willy Zabarburu 09257027 peruano
Grace Baquerizo 41693884 peruana
Yaser Gómez Carbajal 10302730 peruano
Cecilia Israel La Rosa 06247499 peruana
Rosario Romero 09182449 peruana
Carlos López Jiménez 03359810 Piura
Pablo Ruiz 116624710 Chile
Ricardo Jiménez A. 000811672 Chile
Esteban Silva Cuadra 8395814-6 Chile
Héctor Diaz García G421121004 México
Henrique Pizzolato 51-814-D CREA RS Brasil
Támara Lajtman 95751920 Argentina/Brasil
Tatiana Dalence 3056532 Bolivia
Dionisio Núñez Tangara 3333862 Bolivia
María Lohman 484499 Bolivia/Países Bajos
Gabriel Aguirre 6848195 Colombia
Dora Troyano 34561243 Colombia
Pien Metaal NY60FCR18 Países Bajos
Jerome Mangelinckx 000476903 Bélgica
Romain Migus 14DA13720 Francia
Cleide Martins 562749
Lucia Alvites 43590204
Nilo Meza Monge 00492576
Johan Sánchez Tandaypán 46571035
Cláudia Patrícia Coutinho
Campos MG-1.042.148
José Dence Fachin Ruiz 42897002
Patricia Ciriani 47827308
Carlos Polo Villanueva 48051849
Pedro Miguel Palacios
Farfán 32543302
Dionicio Núñez Tangara 3333862
David Reynaga Rojas 09281407
Hernán García Jiménez 45807566
Marcos Pflucker 07736566
Jose muñoz castañeda 09981858
Marcelino Pereda Córdova 17816705
Ivete caribé da Rocha 11748633
ADIAZAR UGKUM
JEMPETS 47714664
Ricard Sánchez Andrés 39340733S
Hugo Tacuri 19851188
Anahi Durand 10783805
Andres Luna Vargas 02602266
Ana Cárcamo 25595079
Dora Troyano 34561243
Rachel Small S57046370875906
Rachel Small S57046370875906 Canada
Irma Elvira Ganoza
Macchiavello 7831713 Peruana
Rocío Silva-Santisteban
Manrique 07822730 Perú
GABRIEL HUAMANI 10667129 PERUANO
Katia Lapoint Montes 08608591 Peruana
Orlando Puertas Meléndez 05415842 Peruano
Daina d’Achille Bistevins 29659296 Peruana
Daina d’Achille Bistevins 29659296 Peruana
Jose Ruben Tsajuput Dati 46056923 Peruana
Marco Arana Zegarra 26605193 Perú
Ydelso Hernández Llamo 27723702 Peruana
Ydelso Hernández Llamo 27723702 Peruana
JAMES PRADO AYALA 16650003 PERU
Lucy Noemy Aroni Condori 73493829 PERUANA
Carlos Herz Saenz 7913390 Peruana
Juan Rojas Vargas 02401989 Peruano
Rosa Edesmid Alvarado
Carrasco 27824334 Peruana
María Alejandra Valderrama Colombia
Irene Mariela Guimaraes
Rojas 45083452 Peruana
IVÁN SALAS RODRÍGUEZ 26604265 Peruano
Segundo Juan Tucto Quispe 26687081 Peruana
Mauricio Añanca Ochante Mauric Peruana
Martha Gutiérrez Alarcon 429842988174 Peruana
Nadynne Gretsel Gomez
Supo 70376720 Peruana
