On Friday, the plenary of the Peruvian Congress approved a draft legislative resolution that authorizes the entry of US military troops between June 1 and December 31. The resolution was approved with 70 votes in favor, 33 against and four abstentions.
The Peruvian Congress reported via a statement that US personnel will carry out “cooperation and training” activities with the Peruvian Armed Forces and the Peruvian National Police.
“The US troops will move to the regions of Lima, Callao, Loreto, San Martín, Huánuco, Ucayali, Pasco, as well as Junín, Huancavelica, Cusco, Ayacucho, Iquitos, Pucusana and Apurímac,” the statement reads.
La Policía y el Ejército del Perú asesinaron a más de 60 personas en las protestas contra el Golpe de Dina Boluarte, y ahora EEUU irá a Perú a entrenar a estas instituciones manchadas de sangre por petición de Boluarte. Y luego EEUU hace apología de Democracia y Derechos Humanos pic.twitter.com/uhSfw5q3d0
— Aníbal Garzón 🌎 (@AnibalGarzon) May 21, 2023
The secretary of the Commission for National Defense, Internal Order, Alternative Development and the Fight Against Drugs, Alfredo Azurín, said that the objective of this mission is not to establish a US military base but to train security forces. “National sovereignty will not be affected,” stated the de facto official.
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In addition, Azurín said that the approved military personnel are members of the Marine Infantry and Special Forces who will carry out field training activities with their Peruvian counterparts.
Foreign interference
Meanwhile, former Bolivian President Evo Morales stated via social media that the Peruvian Congress’ authorization of the entry and permanence of US troops only confirms that Peru “is governed from Washington and under the tutelage of the Southern Command.”
La autorización del congreso peruano para el ingreso y permanencia de tropas de EEUU durante 7 meses, ratifica que el Perú se gobierna desde Washington, bajo la tutela del Comando Sur.
El pueblo peruano está sometido a poderosos intereses extranjeros mediado por poderes…
— Evo Morales Ayma (@evoespueblo) May 21, 2023
Morales also wrote, “The Peruvian people are subjected to powerful foreign interests. The greatest challenge for working people and Indigenous peoples is to recover their self-determination, their sovereignty and their natural resources.”
Morales noted, “With this authorization, we warn that the criminalization of protest and the occupation by US military forces, the consolidation of a repressive state is coming, which will affect the sovereignty and regional peace in Latin America.”
(RedRadioVE) by Milena Bravo
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/JRE/SF
bla 5.24.23 14:15 EST
Milena Bravo
Milena Bravo is a Venezuelan journalist whose work in RedRadioVE has covered Latin America and ALBA-TCP, South America, Security and Defense.
