Relatives of Civil Guard officer Eduardo Ordoñez mourn his death.

On July 3, 1984, Ordoñez died as a result of one of the many subversive attacks recorded in Lima. In order to seize local authority, the subversive strategy destroyed the scarce presence of the State in Andean towns and the weak connection of state services. In this context the police forces were the first State organizations to be systematically attacked by Sendero Luminoso at the most unexpected moments. The subversives exploited the element of surprise and the general lack of police protection. The deaths of police officers not only represented significant losses for the institution during the war but also meant the disintegration of families and significant consequences for their members, especially for a growing number of widows. During the 20 years of violence, 1,436 police victims were recorded among the dead and wounded.