This is a story of political abuses from all points in the spectrum between the 80s and the year 2000 in Peru. Complaints that the government before the rise was responding only to the needs of its rich, white citizens, lead to the rise of a movement known as “The Shining Path.” Lead by Guzman and inspired by Mao, Lenin, and Marx sprung up to right these wrongs. Their plan? Violent guerilla maneuvers against the government, using the poor rural people as the soldiers.

The government responded with heavy arms, sending the Marines into the Mountains to seek out the terrorists. Sadly, they weren’t able to identify who was a member of the terrorists, as they refused to wear uniforms or signs identifying them as such; so the military treated everyone as guilty, and many were killed. These abuses lead to the rise of a dictatorship with the election of President Fujimori, who dissolved the senate, and with the control of all media, maintained a reported 70% approval rating.

It’s an interesting film, and a disturbing one. The film does not mention anything of the US involvement in the Peruvian conflicts, and no connections are made to foreign involvement. However, when the film gets to covering Fujimori, I can’t help but notice an implied connection to the current American administration. It’s not subtle, but nothing is said; it’s a skilled piece of work to accomplish that.

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