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Bombing in Peru Sends Message to Bush
March 22, 2002
Summary
A bombing in Lima, Peru, just days before a summit between Andean leaders and U.S. President George W. Bush was likely the work of Peruvian insurgent group Shining Path. The incident may have been meant to warn the United States about deepening its military involvement in the region. The move could easily backfire, however, because Andean leaders may be more willing to support a larger U.S. military presence following the violence.
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Analysis
A car bomb exploded at 10:45 p.m. local time on March 20, less than 100 meters from the U.S. Embassy in Lima, Peru. The explosion came less than three days before U.S. President George W. Bush is due to arrive in Lima for a 17-hour meeting with the vice president of Ecuador and the presidents of Peru and Bolivia.
No one has taken credit for the bombing yet, but Peruvian and U.S. officials in Lima believe the leftist insurgent group Shining Path was probably responsible. With the Bush administration preparing to expand the U.S. military presence in Colombia and other Andean countries, it is possible the bomb was intended as a message that U.S. citizens and assets will become political targets if Washington deepens its engagement in the Andean region's war against drugs and insurgents.
The incident will intensify discussion at the Andean summit over ways to crack down on the growing links between insurgent groups and the drug trade. Rather than dissuade Washington from becoming more involved in the region, the bombing could in fact solidify support among Andean and U.S. leaders for greater and more immediate engagement in Colombia and neighboring countries.
Nine people were killed and more than 40 injured when a car packed with 110 pounds of explosives blew up. A group of policemen had become suspicious and were attempting to evacuate the area when the detonation occurred, Peru's Interior Minister Fernando Rospigliosi said March 21. The explosion rocked Lima's El Polo commercial center, destroying nearby shops and cars. The U.S. Embassy, located across a wide street from the commercial center, was not damaged.
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* In Pictures: Peru Car Blast
The Associated Press
Thursday, March 21, 2002
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Bombing in Peru Sends Message to Bush . . .