This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 LIMA 004179 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
G FOR LAURA LEDERER 
G/TIP FOR LINDA BROWN 
STATE FOR INTERNATIONAL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM OFFICE 
DRL RELIGIOUS FREEDOM FOR LISTON, SCHNEIDER, POSHTKOUHI, 
DRL FOR NEWLING, CUMBERLAND, SCHECHTER 
IIP/SC FOR TODD LEVENTHAL 
FSI/PD FOR NORDLAND, EMERSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PINR PHUM PGOV PE
SUBJECT: EMBASSY AND EVANGELICALS: BREAKING NEW GROUND 
 
REF: A. LIMA 3415 
     ¶B. LIMA 3414 
     ¶C. CARACAS 2371 
 
Sensitive but Unclassified.  Please protect accordingly. 
 
¶1.  (U)  This is the third in a three-part series on Peru,s 
Evangelical Christians.  Reftels described the history and 
contemporary political strategy of this key emerging group. 
This cable discusses Embassy outreach. 
 
-------- 
Summary: 
-------- 
 
¶2.  (U)  Peru,s rapidly-growing population of Evangelical 
Christians, estimated to represent 10-15 percent of the 
population, possesses demonstrated political potential.  They 
helped defeat Sendero Luminoso, were critical in transforming 
a long-shot candidate into a president in 1990, and have 
developed a home-grown counterweight to the Cocaleros' 
pseudo-Inca ideology (Ref B).  Evangelicals agree with the 
USG on drugs, trafficking in persons, and religious freedom. 
Many admire the United States.  Peru,s Evangelical movement 
has both social depth and international breadth.  On the one 
hand, Peru,s Evangelicals offer a pipeline to poor, 
indigenous Peruvians.  On the other, they form part of an 
international movement that extends well beyond Peru. 
 
¶3.  (SBU)  Evangelicals' pro-U.S. sympathies should not be 
taken for granted.  This is an emerging group that can 
challenge the traditional often anti-U.S. elements that now 
predominate in Peruvian academe and in intellectual circles. 
Moreover, Evangelical groups from the U.S. have become very 
interested in Peru, are sponsoring important, local-level 
development projects, which showcase the positive role that 
U.S. citizens are taking in promoting Peru's development. 
Next to Americans of Peruvian descent, American Evangelicals 
are probably the most important constituency in the United 
States with an interest in Peru.  Post notes other recent 
reporting on this key sector in other countries (Ref C) and 
believes it would be useful to develop a regional perspective 
on the Evangelicals.  End Summary. 
 
------------------------- 
Leading with Human Rights 
------------------------- 
 
¶4.  (U)  U.S. Human Rights policy has both thematic resonance 
and topical relevance for Evangelicals, as HR Officer found 
out when addressing the Union of Peruvian Evangelical 
Churches (UNICEP) on 3/29.  Embassy's presentation traced the 
long process of extending human rights to greater numbers of 
U.S. citizens.  An audience of 500 pastors responded 
positively to a presentation on the United States, struggles 
with slavery, Gilded Age corruption, fascism, communism, and 
contemporary terrorism.  The presentation emphasized the 
success of U.S. inclusiveness based on the diverse origins of 
contemporary U.S. leaders.  Finally, by casting drug 
addiction and TIP as modern day forms of slavery, it became 
possible to link the struggles from U.S. History with these 
contemporary bilateral issues. 
 
¶5.  (U)  Along with the story of Human Rights in US History, 
Peruvian Evangelicals responded to a particular part of the 
Human Rights Report, the Section on Religious Freedom. 
Evangelicals admire the strict religious neutrality of the 
USG and advocate constitutional reforms that would move the 
GOP in the same direction.  (Note: This PowerPoint 
presentation is available from Poloff David Brooks at: 
brooksdc2@state.gov) 
 
----------------------------- 
Break Out Older PAS Materials 
----------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U)  Evangelicals are interested in many traditional PAS 
materials ) the Outline series on U.S. History, Economy and 
Government is just one example.  They have a strong desire 
for basic educational resources, an enthusiasm that exists 
for a variety of reasons: 
-Many Evangelicals are &late bloomers,8 people who came to 
their faith later in life.  Converts from economically 
less-privileged groups have often emerged from difficult 
circumstances and frequently have delayed educational needs 
they are eager to address. 
 
-As Evangelicals awaken educationally, they bump up against 
the exclusivity and traditional Marxism of much of Peruvian 
academe, the educational establishment, and intellectual 
life.  Consequently, they are responsive to other viewpoints. 
 
 
---------------------------------- 
Family Focus Offers Opportunities: 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (U)  Many urban churches focus on reinforcing the family. 
 Their assault on alcohol abuse (mostly by men) makes the 
churches popular with women and is reminiscent of 19th 
century temperance campaigns in the U.S.  Likewise, urban 
Evangelicals, recruited from among the poor, many of them 
migrants to the cities, are well aware of the dangers of 
drugs and the costs of political extremism.  Peru's 
Evangelical Churches are already delivering an anti-drug 
message, and, more important, could be potential partners in 
producing and disseminating material against drugs and human 
trafficking.  Many of the larger churches have impressive 
cultural reproduction capabilities, including small recording 
studios and publishing capacities. 
 
--------------------------- 
Countering Anti-Americanism 
--------------------------- 
 
¶8.  (U)  Peruvian Evangelicals tend to be pro-U.S. for a 
variety of reasons.  Just as they teach an ethic of personal 
responsibility, the Evangelicals also promote the idea that 
Peru should solve its own problems, a vision of national 
self-reliance that contradicts Marxist-inspired intellectual 
orthodoxy that holds the U.S. responsible for Latin America's 
difficulties. 
 
¶9.  (U)  Perhaps more important, Evangelicals are pro-U.S. 
because many of their churches were founded by U.S. 
missionaries and maintain contacts with U.S. churches, whose 
members often participate in projects that are both 
development-related and faith-based.  Lima's Camino de Vida 
(Road to Life) Church, for example, runs a program that 
distributes free wheelchairs donated by U.S. citizens to 
poor, handicapped Peruvians.  Though not large by USG 
standards, the program showcases U.S. philanthropy and puts a 
human face onto U.S. citizens' efforts to help Peru.  At the 
invitation of the Camino de Vida Church, Embassy will 
participate in the next donation ceremony. 
 
¶10.  (U)  Embassy's Web Page recently added a screen for 
Americans to register philanthropic projects with the 
Mission.  We are designing a more detailed questionnaire for 
distribution to our Evangelical contacts so that we can get a 
better idea as to the number, nature, and location of a wider 
range of U.S. supported, faith-based projects in Peru. 
 
¶11.  (U)  Finally, Peruvian Evangelicals are closely 
connected to similar movements in other countries.  A tight 
relationship exists between the Lima's Agua Viva (Living 
Waters) Church and Colombian Pastor Cesar Castellanos' Mision 
Carismatica Internacional (Charismatic International Mission) 
in Colombia, for example (Ref A).  The founders of the Agua 
Viva Church, a family of American Missionaries, also have 
family members working in Ukraine and soon in China.  Lima's 
Camino de Vida Church regularly features speakers from 
Australia and the United States.  Consequently, work with 
Peruvian Evangelicals on key issues could reinforce USG 
efforts in other countries. 
 
------------------------ 
Ongoing Embassy Outreach 
------------------------ 
 
¶12.  (U)  Embassy has moved to build contacts with Peruvian 
Evangelical Christians.  Ambassador appeared with the Israeli 
Ambassador as an official guest at the opening ceremonies of 
a Promise Keepers-style event for 20,000 Peruvian men at the 
National Stadium organized by Agua Viva Church on 7/30.  NAS 
Program Officer and NAS Eradication Officer have also met 
with members of both the Camino de Vida and Agua Viva 
churches to discuss coordinated work regarding drug demand 
reduction, trafficking in persons, and coca erradication. 
Both churches were enthusiastic.  Both also provide a 
communications and information pipeline to community leaders 
in areas where drug use and coca cultivation predominate. 
 
-------- 
Comment: 
-------- 
 
¶13.  (SBU)  Evangelicals are creating a vision for the 
less-privileged masses in Peru that aligns with our own, 
including emphasis on national self-reliance as well as 
fighting illegal drugs, trafficking in persons, and 
anti-Americanism. 
 
¶14.  (U)  We should regard Evangelical churches the same way 
we look at other institutions -- including schools and 
universities, civic groups, and the Catholic Church -- as 
possible venues for programming.  Speakers on issues related 
to the family, anti-corruption, anti-trafficking, 
counternarcotics, human rights, U.S. History and culture, and 
the culture of lawfulness would encounter large and likely 
highly receptive local audiences that are economically 
diverse and increasingly active politically. 
 
¶15.  (U)  Post notes other recent reporting on Evangelical 
Christians in other countries (Ref C).  We believe it would 
be useful to have a regional perspective on this key emerging 
constituency, which both crosses borders and can contribute 
to the dissemination of messages consonant with our own. 
STRUBLE