Peasant Patrols and Insurgent Organizations in Peru

Narrating how the Rondas Campesinas in Peru originated, spread, and grew stronger, as well as their valuable contribution to the defeat of Sendero Luminoso, are the objectives of this work. First, a brief review of Peruvian political history will be made, starting from the premise that the period 1975-2000 was a stage of recurring crises, whether political or economic. Second, the social and cultural characteristics behind their original formation in the department of Cajamarca and later in Piura will be presented. Third, their expansion to other areas of the national territory will be reviewed, as well as how the rondas were incorporated into the counter-subversive strategy designed by the FFAA to combat Sendero Luminoso more effectively.