SENDERO ASSASSINATES APRA GOVERNOR

C O N F I D E N T I A L LIMA 09331 DIA FOR IR BRANCH DIA FOR OA-5/OS-1D/DB-6D2/JSI-4B/DB-3C1 USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD JOHN YOULE E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: PTER PGOV PE SUBJECT: SENDERO ASSASSINATES APRA GOVERNOR ¶1. (U) AT LEAST T... id: 219 date: 7/15/1988 23:27 refid: 88LIMA9331 origin: Embassy Lima classification: CONFIDENTIAL destination: header: R 152327Z JUL 88 FM AMEMBASSY LIMA TO SECSTATE WASHDC 0144 INFO AMEMBASSY BOGOTA AMEMBASSY LA PAZ AMEMBASSY QUITO USAFSO HOWARD AFB PM USCINCSO QUARRY HTS PM DIA WASHDC SECDEF WASHDC -------------- header ends -------------- C O N F I D E N T I A L LIMA 09331 DIA FOR IR BRANCH DIA FOR OA-5/OS-1D/DB-6D2/JSI-4B/DB-3C1 USCINCSO ALSO FOR POLAD JOHN YOULE E.O. 12356: DECL: OADR TAGS: PTER PGOV PE SUBJECT: SENDERO ASSASSINATES APRA GOVERNOR ¶1. (U) AT LEAST TWO UNIDENTIFIED GUNMEN JULY 14 SHOT AND KILLED THE GOVERNOR OF CHINCHA PROVINCE, LOCATED IN LIMA'S NEIGHBORING ICA DEPARTMENT. THE TERRORISTS SHOT HIM SIX TIMES IN FRONT OF HIS HOME AND IN THE PRESENCE OF HIS WIFE. THE 53-YEAR-OLD GOVERNOR, WHO WAS ALSO A SCHOOL PRINCIPAL, HAD EARLIER BEEN THREATENED AND GIVEN FIVE DAYS TO RESIGN FROM THE SCHOOL. ACCORDING TO THE LEFT-OF-CENTER DAILY, "LA VOZ," HIS SCHOOL DID NOT SUPPORT THE NATIONAL TEACHERS' STRIKE. THE PRESS HAS GIVEN THE MURDER CONSIDERABLE COVERAGE; THE PRO-SENDERO DAILY, "EL DIARIO," IN ITS FRONT PAGE HEADLINE ATTRIBUTED THE ATTACK TO SENDERO LUMINOSO (SL), AND CLAIMED THAT THIS WAS THE FIRST ASSASSINATION OF AN APRA FUNCTIONARY IN THIS PART OF THE COUNTRY. - ¶2. (C) COMMENT: SL MAY HAVE TARGETTED THE GOVERNOR FOR HIS FAILURE TO SUPPORT THE TEACHERS' STRIKE. "EL DIARIO," HOWEVER, DID NOT MENTION HIS STANCE ON THAT ISSUE. SENDERO REMAINS ACTIVE OUTSIDE OF LIMA, WHERE THERE HAS BEEN A LULL IN TERRORISM SINCE THE JUNE 12 ARREST OF THE GROUP'S SECOND-IN-COMMAND, OSMAN MOROTE. WATSON =======================CABLE ENDS============================