EMBASSY AND EVANGELICALS: BREAKING NEW GROUND

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 LIMA 004179

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

G FOR LAURA LEDERER
G/TIP FOR LINDA BROWN
STATE FOR INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM OFFICE
DRL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR LISTON, SCHNEIDER, POSHTKOUHI,
DRL FOR NEWLING, CUMBERLAND, SCHECHTER
IIP/SC FOR TODD LEVENTHAL
FSI/PD FOR NORDLAND, EMERSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PINR PHUM PGOV PE
SUBJECT: EMBASSY AND EVANGELICALS: BREAKING NEW GROUND

REF: A. LIMA 3415

B. LIMA 3414

C. CARACAS 2371

Sensitive but Unclassified. Please protect accordingly.


1. (U) This is the third in a three-part series on Peru,s
Evangelical Christians. Reftels described the history and
contemporary political strategy of this key emerging group.
This cable discusses Embassy outreach.

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Summary:
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2. (U) Peru,s rapidly-growing population of Evangelical
Christians, estimated to represent 10-15 percent of the
population, possesses demonstrated political potential. They
helped defeat Sendero Luminoso, were critical in transforming
a long-shot candidate into a president in 1990, and have
developed a home-grown counterweight to the Cocaleros'
pseudo-Inca ideology (Ref B). Evangelicals agree with the
USG on drugs, trafficking in persons, and religious freedom.
Many admire the United States. Peru,s Evangelical movement
has both social depth and international breadth. On the one
hand, Peru,s Evangelicals offer a pipeline to poor,
indigenous Peruvians. On the other, they form part of an
international movement that extends well beyond Peru.


3. (SBU) Evangelicals' pro-U.S. sympathies should not be
taken for granted. This is an emerging group that can
challenge the traditional often anti-U.S. elements that now
predominate in Peruvian academe and in intellectual circles.
Moreover, Evangelical groups from the U.S. have become very
interested in Peru, are sponsoring important, local-level
development projects, which showcase the positive role that
U.S. citizens are taking in promoting Peru's development.
Next to Americans of Peruvian descent, American Evangelicals
are probably the most important constituency in the United
States with an interest in Peru. Post notes other recent
reporting on this key sector in other countries (Ref C) and
believes it would be useful to develop a regional perspective
on the Evangelicals. End Summary.

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Leading with Human Rights
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4. (U) U.S. Human Rights policy has both thematic resonance
and topical relevance for Evangelicals, as HR Officer found
out when addressing the Union of Peruvian Evangelical
Churches (UNICEP) on 3/29. Embassy's presentation traced the
long process of extending human rights to greater numbers of
U.S. citizens. An audience of 500 pastors responded
positively to a presentation on the United States, struggles
with slavery, Gilded Age corruption, fascism, communism, and
contemporary terrorism. The presentation emphasized the
success of U.S. inclusiveness based on the diverse origins of
contemporary U.S. leaders. Finally, by casting drug
addiction and TIP as modern day forms of slavery, it became
possible to link the struggles from U.S. History with these
contemporary bilateral issues.


5. (U) Along with the story of Human Rights in US History,
Peruvian Evangelicals responded to a particular part of the
Human Rights Report, the Section on Religious Freedom.
Evangelicals admire the strict religious neutrality of the
USG and advocate constitutional reforms that would move the
GOP in the same direction. (Note: This PowerPoint
presentation is available from Poloff David Brooks at:
brooksdc2@state.gov)

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Break Out Older PAS Materials
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6. (U) Evangelicals are interested in many traditional PAS
materials ) the Outline series on U.S. History, Economy and
Government is just one example. They have a strong desire
for basic educational resources, an enthusiasm that exists
for a variety of reasons:
-Many Evangelicals are &late bloomers,8 people who came to
their faith later in life. Converts from economically
less-privileged groups have often emerged from difficult
circumstances and frequently have delayed educational needs
they are eager to address.

-As Evangelicals awaken educationally, they bump up against
the exclusivity and traditional Marxism of much of Peruvian
academe, the educational establishment, and intellectual
life. Consequently, they are responsive to other viewpoints.


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Family Focus Offers Opportunities:
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7. (U) Many urban churches focus on reinforcing the family.
Their assault on alcohol abuse (mostly by men) makes the
churches popular with women and is reminiscent of 19th
century temperance campaigns in the U.S. Likewise, urban
Evangelicals, recruited from among the poor, many of them
migrants to the cities, are well aware of the dangers of
drugs and the costs of political extremism. Peru's
Evangelical Churches are already delivering an anti-drug
message, and, more important, could be potential partners in
producing and disseminating material against drugs and human
trafficking. Many of the larger churches have impressive
cultural reproduction capabilities, including small recording
studios and publishing capacities.

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Countering Anti-Americanism
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8. (U) Peruvian Evangelicals tend to be pro-U.S. for a
variety of reasons. Just as they teach an ethic of personal
responsibility, the Evangelicals also promote the idea that
Peru should solve its own problems, a vision of national
self-reliance that contradicts Marxist-inspired intellectual
orthodoxy that holds the U.S. responsible for Latin America's
difficulties.


9. (U) Perhaps more important, Evangelicals are pro-U.S.
because many of their churches were founded by U.S.
missionaries and maintain contacts with U.S. churches, whose
members often participate in projects that are both
development-related and faith-based. Lima's Camino de Vida
(Road to Life) Church, for example, runs a program that
distributes free wheelchairs donated by U.S. citizens to
poor, handicapped Peruvians. Though not large by USG
standards, the program showcases U.S. philanthropy and puts a
human face onto U.S. citizens' efforts to help Peru. At the
invitation of the Camino de Vida Church, Embassy will
participate in the next donation ceremony.


10. (U) Embassy's Web Page recently added a screen for
Americans to register philanthropic projects with the
Mission. We are designing a more detailed questionnaire for
distribution to our Evangelical contacts so that we can get a
better idea as to the number, nature, and location of a wider
range of U.S. supported, faith-based projects in Peru.


11. (U) Finally, Peruvian Evangelicals are closely
connected to similar movements in other countries. A tight
relationship exists between the Lima's Agua Viva (Living
Waters) Church and Colombian Pastor Cesar Castellanos' Mision
Carismatica Internacional (Charismatic International Mission)
in Colombia, for example (Ref A). The founders of the Agua
Viva Church, a family of American Missionaries, also have
family members working in Ukraine and soon in China. Lima's
Camino de Vida Church regularly features speakers from
Australia and the United States. Consequently, work with
Peruvian Evangelicals on key issues could reinforce USG
efforts in other countries.

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Ongoing Embassy Outreach
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12. (U) Embassy has moved to build contacts with Peruvian
Evangelical Christians. Ambassador appeared with the Israeli
Ambassador as an official guest at the opening ceremonies of
a Promise Keepers-style event for 20,000 Peruvian men at the
National Stadium organized by Agua Viva Church on 7/30. NAS
Program Officer and NAS Eradication Officer have also met
with members of both the Camino de Vida and Agua Viva
churches to discuss coordinated work regarding drug demand
reduction, trafficking in persons, and coca erradication.
Both churches were enthusiastic. Both also provide a
communications and information pipeline to community leaders
in areas where drug use and coca cultivation predominate.

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Comment:
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13. (SBU) Evangelicals are creating a vision for the
less-privileged masses in Peru that aligns with our own,
including emphasis on national self-reliance as well as
fighting illegal drugs, trafficking in persons, and
anti-Americanism.


14. (U) We should regard Evangelical churches the same way
we look at other institutions -- including schools and
universities, civic groups, and the Catholic Church -- as
possible venues for programming. Speakers on issues related
to the family, anti-corruption, anti-trafficking,
counternarcotics, human rights, U.S. History and culture, and
the culture of lawfulness would encounter large and likely
highly receptive local audiences that are economically
diverse and increasingly active politically.


15. (U) Post notes other recent reporting on Evangelical
Christians in other countries (Ref C). We believe it would
be useful to have a regional perspective on this key emerging
constituency, which both crosses borders and can contribute
to the dissemination of messages consonant with our own.
STRUBLE