Formal constitution of DECAS of the Apurimac River Valley in Pichiwillca

The arrival of the Montoneros to Pichiwillca in April or May 1984 marked a milestone in peasant organization. On June 21, 1984, the Anti-Subversive Civil Defense (DECAS) of the Apurimac River Valley was formally constituted. From Pichiwillca, led by 19-year-old Antonio Cárdenas, the organization began to expand throughout the valley. The DECAS were the first peasant militia to form a network of organizations that covered an entire region. By mid-1985, the PCP-SL was in full retreat and the FFAA and DECAS had gained control of the valley.