ACTION ALERT:
Tell Congress “No US Troops in Peru”
World BEYOND War & Centro de Investigación Drogas y Derechos Humanos / ActionNetwork
To: US Congress Committee on
Foreign Relations and Appropriations
(June 23, 2024) — The United States and the government of Dina Boluarte in Peru have agreed to carry out a military operation called “Centinela Resuelto 2023”, which involves the deployment of 1,200 United States troops to Peru, with weapons of war and military equipment to carry out joint military exercises.
The United States must suspend all military assistance to Peru. The bilateral agreement between the US and Peru to combat illicit drug trafficking must also be reviewed in a transparent manner, and this should not become an excuse for military interference in the country.
Now, the objective in Peru should be to prioritize the strengthening of democracy and the rule of law over the interests of so-called “security and defense”, which only contributes to the increase of the US military presence on the continent.
In Peru, a clear schedule must be established to call for new presidential elections, after the country’s Congress, through an unconstitutional decision, decided to remove President Pedro Castillo and appoint Dina Boluarte as president. As it is, foreign military assistance only strengthens a government that arose from the breakdown of the democratic order in the country.
Petición en Español.
Contexto/Descripción
Estados Unidos y el gobierno de Dina Boluarte en Perú han acordado llevar a cabo una operación militar denominada “Centinela Resuelto 2023”, que implica el despliegue de 1.200 soldados estadounidenses en Perú, con armas de guerra y equipamiento militar para realizar ejercicios militares conjuntos.
Estados Unidos debe suspender toda ayuda militar a Perú. El acuerdo bilateral entre Estados Unidos y Perú para combatir el tráfico ilícito de drogas también debe ser revisado de manera transparente, y esto no debe convertirse en una excusa para la injerencia militar en el país.
Ahora, el objetivo en Perú debe ser priorizar el fortalecimiento de la democracia y el Estado de Derecho por encima de los intereses de la llamada “seguridad y defensa”, que sólo contribuye al aumento de la presencia militar estadounidense en el continente.
En Perú, debe establecerse un calendario claro para convocar nuevas elecciones presidenciales, después de que el Congreso del país, mediante una decisión inconstitucional, decidiera destituir al presidente Pedro Castillo y nombrar presidenta a Dina Boluarte. Por tanto la ayuda militar extranjera sólo fortalece a un gobierno surgido de la ruptura del orden democrático en el país.
ACTION: Tell Biden to Stop Funding Repression;
Halt US Military Assistance to Peru!
Dear President Biden,
The undersigned individuals write to express our deep concern regarding the violent crackdown unleashed upon the Peruvian people by the Boluarte government. In the last two months, over 70 Peruvians demanding political change have been killed and thousands have been injured. These egregious human rights violations have been strongly condemned by leaders in Latin America and 20 House Democrats, who have called for your administration to halt all security assistance to Peru until the crackdown ends and the armed forces are held accountable for their human rights violations.
We echo these demands and ask that your administration take a strong stand against the Peruvian government’s violent repression.
The Peruvian people have been using their democratic rights to express their discontent with Dina Boluarte’s government. They demand her resignation, the closing of the congress, and the drafting of a new constitution.
Instead of listening to the protesters, the Boluarte government has not only used lethal violence against its people but has also criminalized those speaking out, calling them terrorists, vandals, and criminals.
Peru’s armed forces have selectively targeted indigenous peoples, children, students, women, and journalists with torture, kidnappings and assassinations. Major international leaders and institutions, such as the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), have publicly denounced Boluarte’s repressive violence. We ask that you also take this opportunity to send a strong message that your administration does not support human rights abuses by halting all military assistance.
We are concerned that your administration’s hesitation to take a strong stance on this issue will only lead to more bloodshed and human rights violations. On February 6, the Boluarte government decreed a state of emergency for 60 days in seven of the country’s 24 regions that have large indigenous populations, deploying troops and suspending democratic rights, such as freedom of assembly and speech.
President Biden, your administration has the right and the responsibility to stop enabling the repressive violence of Dina Boluarte’s government by halting military assistance used to indiscriminately repress the mostly indigenous and poor protesters. We call on you to do just that.
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