President of the Republic Alan García Pérez speaks at the Government Palace with former Shining Path members

President of the Republic Alan García Pérez speaks at the Government Palace with former members of Sendero Luminoso who have renounced the organization. On October 23, the Joint Command of the Armed Forces reported that on October 19, during a military operation in the locality of Llochegua in La Mar, Ayacucho, a group of Senderistas laid down their arms and surrendered. The group was accompanied by several adults (approximately 51 men, 74 women), children over 10 years of age (14), and children under 14 years of age (45), who were taken to the counter-subversive bases of Llochegua and Corazón Pampa. The defection of the Senderistas was reportedly caused by the failure of Sendero's leadership to fulfill promises, as well as the exhaustion and frustration of the population that had supported them.