Militarization of Socorro Popular
In 1986, Socorro Popular (SoPo), an organism of the PCP-SL dedicated to areas of health and defense, was militarized, displacing the Metropolitan Committee in importance and expanding its operations through front organizations.
Socorro Popular (called SoPo in PCP-SL documents) was an organization of the Communist Party of Peru - Shining Path that had a very complex structure. After its militarization in 1986, it came to displace the Metropolitan Committee in importance, managing to expand without ceasing to fulfill its initial functions in the areas of health and defense. It almost always acted through its 'gray' or 'front' organizations, such as the Association of Democratic Lawyers and the Committee of Relatives of Political Prisoners. This militarization represented a significant change in the operational structure of the PCP-SL in Lima, increasing its capacity for action.