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C O N F I D E N T I A L LIMA 000895 
 
SIPDIS 
 
USDA/FAS FOR OGA/DWYER AND OCRA/ZANIN 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/21/2018 
TAGS: PGOV ASEC REL PINR PE
SUBJECT: ANTI-SUMMIT PEACEFUL, GENERAL SECURITY A SUCCESS 
 
REF: LIMA 745 
 
Classified By: POL/C ALEXIS LUDWIG FOR REASONS 1.4 (B) 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: The "Summit of the Peoples" anti-summit (May 
13-16) that coincided with the Latin America and Caribbean - 
European Union Summit (EU-LAC) last week proceeded peacefully 
despite government concern.  The anti-summit attracted 
thousands of social movement leaders from Peru, Latin America 
and Europe to participate in three days of workshops on 
themes critical of imperialism, "neoliberalism", 
multinational corporations, etc.  The dozens of protests 
planned around the country during the summit failed to 
materialize, and in general government security forces did an 
effective and efficient job.  End Summary. 
 
Peaceful Anti-Summit 
-------------------- 
¶2. (C) The "Summit of the Peoples" anti-summit remained 
entirely peaceful despite attracting crowds of disaffected 
Peruvians and others.  Anti-summit events reportedly drew 
more than the 8,000 participants organizers had anticipated. 
Attendees participated in a series of workshops focusing on 
topics such as human rights, indigenous movements, poverty 
and exclusion, social mobilization, etc.  At the end of the 
anti-summit, the "Permanent Tribunal of the Peoples" issued a 
"ruling" condemning 24 multinationals of abusive labor 
practices and exploiting "the peoples'" natural resources. 
The week closed with a May 16 rally -- billed as a "mass 
meeting" -- that drew approximately 1,000 people.  Bolivian 
President Evo Morales and former Peruvian presidential 
candidate Ollanta Humala headlined this event with the 
standard passionate speeches praising Cuba and Venezuela and 
criticizing the United States.  Venezuelan President Hugo 
Chavez, notably, did not appear at the rally despite the 
expectations of organizers. 
 
Nationwide Protests Fail to Materialize 
--------------------------------------- 
¶3. (C) The dozens of protests threatened around the country 
for summit week did not materialize.  Although the Public 
Ministry reported 40 peaceful protests nationwide and eight 
roadblocks, the vast majority were small and hardly made the 
press.  The only significant event took place in Puno region 
in the south, where protestors disrupted traffic and threw 
rocks that reportedly killed one bystander. 
 
Security Tight in Lima and the Provinces 
---------------------------------------- 
¶4. (C) Security forces locked down parts of Lima during the 
principle days of the summit with a robust and visible police 
presence particularly near the event sites and hotels. 
Several months before the EU-LAC summit, a group of Peruvian 
police traveled to Sydney with support from State 
Department's Diplomatic Security Anti-Terrorism Assistance 
program (DS/ATA) to learn best practices from the Australian 
experience with APEC in 2007.  The impact of these 
consultations and other DS/ATA training was evident in venue 
access controls, motorcade security and general operational 
methods and procedures. 
 
¶5. (C) Our sources tell us that the police had a plan to stop 
and inspect buses transporting anti-summit participants from 
the provinces in order to prevent potential agitators from 
reaching Lima.  According to press, at least one bus headed 
for the summit was turned back while attempting to cross the 
border from Bolivia.  In another preventative measure, the 
government in February arrested seven Peruvians that 
according to GOP intelligence services were planning 
disturbances during anti-summit protests. (Ref A. Two have 
already been released.)  During the summit, however, the 
police only arrested 12 people suspected of planning summit 
disturbances, 10 of whom were later released. 
 
Comment: 
-------- 
¶6. (C) We are generally encouraged by the Peruvian security 
forces' solid efforts during the EU-LAC summit and believe 
these bode well for APEC in November.  The USG has a series 
of security training modules planned for the Peruvian police 
between now and November to help ensure that all goes well. 
NEALON