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C O N F I D E N T I A L LIMA 001046 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2018 
TAGS: PGOV REL PINR PE CASC
SUBJECT: PROTESTS IN SOUTH HIT TWO REGIONS 
 
Classified By: Amb. P Michael McKinley for reasons 1.b and d. 
 
¶1. (C) Summary: Thousands of protesters in the southern 
Moquegua region have blocked two major transportation 
arteries and temporarily took police hostages in a dispute 
with the neighboring region of Tacna over the distribution of 
mining canon moneys.  The Council of Ministers (PCM) on July 
16 successfully negotiated an agreement between regional 
authorities of Moquegua and Tacna to end the protests and 
resume dialogue over the distribution of the canon, but 
protest leaders so far have refused to disband.  Some 
observers say the Moquegua government instigated this protest 
as a political stunt but has since lost control.  Activity in 
Tacna and Moquegua has slowed to a crawl, and the central 
government is helping stranded tourists evacuate.  The 
Embassy has been in touch with the leader of a group of 
archeologists stranded in Moqeugua from Chicago's Field 
Museum who were reportedly flown to Arequipa out of harm's 
way mid-afternoon June 17.  End Summary. 
 
Thousands of Protesters Block Roads, Take Police Hostages 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
¶2. (SBU) Some 5,000 to 7,000 protesters in the southern 
Moquegua region since last week have blocked two major 
transportation arteries in support of Regional Government 
demands that the central government adjust the distribution 
of mining tax canon between Moquegua and neighboring Tacna. 
Our contacts in the area say that events took a turn for the 
worse June 16 when protesters confronted a police force sent 
to clear the area and temporarily took sixty hostages, 
including the regional chief of police.  (Note: Press reports 
indicate all were released as of Tuesday evening, June 17th. 
End Note.)  Police forces subsequently retreated and appear 
unwilling to force the issue and risk serious casualties. 
Representatives from the Human Rights Ombudsman ("Defensoria 
del Pueblo") office have traveled to the area to attempt to 
free the hostages.  According to a Defensoria contact, news 
articles reporting up to 20,000 protesters are exaggerated. 
 
Negotiations Advance 
-------------------- 
¶3. (SBU) The Council of Ministers (PCM) on June 15 
successfully negotiated an agreement between leaders in the 
regional goverments of Moquegua and Tacna to end the protests 
and resume dialogue over the distribution of the mining canon 
moneys.  Moquegua authorities have since called on the 
protesters to disband but without effect.  Maria Cristala 
Constantinides, leader of Moquegua's Defense Front and a 
former Regional President, said publicly that the protests 
will continue until the negotiatiors reach an agreement on 
the canon or at least through Tuesday June 17.  Prime 
Minister Jorge del Castillo told the press that he has 
offered a compromise over the distribution of mining canon 
moneys between the two regions while also promising that the 
central government would not reduce resources going to Tacna. 
 (Note: Changing the law that describes the calculus by which 
the mining canon is distibuted regionally is, theoretically 
at least, the prerogative of the legislative rather than the 
executive branch.  End Note.) 
 
Moquegua Government Sought to Distract Attention 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
¶4. (C) The Foreign Ministry representative in the two 
regions, Efrain Saavedra, says he believes that the Moquegua 
government instigated this protest as a political stunt but 
has since lost control.  The distribution of mining canon 
between the two regions has been the same for the last four 
years without provoking complaint, he argued.  Now the only 
difference is that the regional government faces a possible 
recall election and wants to distract the populace.  Saavedra 
fears that the thousands of campesinos and miners the 
regional government brought in to lead the protests will be 
much more difficult to demobilize.  Echoing the claims of 
other observers, an NGO leader familiar with the dispute told 
poloff that Moquegua officials have been asking the 
government to negotiate an adjustment to the canon 
distribution for about a year and resorted to protests in 
frustration. 
 
Impact on Tacna and Moquegua 
---------------------------- 
¶5. (C) Activity in Tacna (Peru's southernmost region 
bordering on Chile) has slowed to a crawl due to a lack of 
natural gas used in vehicles, according to Saavedra.  The 
central government has flown in fuel and supplies and is 
contemplating sending further shipments to avoid a 
deterioration of the situation.  The government also assisted 
the evacuation of various international tourists that had 
been stranded at the bus terminal.  Saavedra told poloff that 
Tacna leaders are threatening to call a counterstrike if the 
conflict is not resolved soon.  The Regional President of 
Tacna, Hugo Ordonez, has publicly called on central 
government authorities to end the road blockades.  Activity 
in Moquegua has also halted, and the Peruvian National Police 
have assisted the evacuation of international tourists, 
including three Americans.  An archeological group of 10 
AMCITs from Chicago's Field Museum has been in contact with 
the Embassy's Consular Section, and by mid-afternoon June 17 
were reportedly flown to neighboring Arequipa out of harm's 
way.  According to estimates cited in the press, the strikes 
could cost the two regions millions of dollars in economic 
losses. 
MCKINLEY