Abimael Guzmán
Abimael Guzmán | |
|---|---|
Portrait of Guzmán | |
| Chairman of the Communist Party of Peru | |
| In office 1969 – 12 September 1992 | |
| Preceded by | Office established |
| Succeeded by | Óscar Ramírez |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Manuel Rubén Abimael Guzmán Reinoso 3 December 1934 Mollendo, Peru |
| Died | 11 September 2021 (aged 86) Callao, Peru |
| Political party | Communist Party of Peru – Shining Path |
| Spouses | |
| Occupation | Professor, guerrilla leader |
| Nickname(s) | Comrade Gonzalo, Chairman Gonzalo, Fourth sword of Marxism-Leninism-Maoism |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | People's Guerrilla Army |
| Rank | Commander |
| Battles/wars | Internal conflict in Peru |
| Criminal conviction | |
| Criminal status | Died in custody |
| Convictions | Terrorism Murder |
| Criminal penalty | Two life sentences |
Manuel Rubén Abimael Guzmán Reinoso (Latin American Spanish: [maˈnwel ruˈβen aβimaˈel ɡusˈman rejˈnoso]; 3 December 1934 − 11 September 2021), also known by his nom de guerre Chairman Gonzalo (Spanish: Presidente Gonzalo), was a Peruvian Maoist guerrilla leader. He founded the organization Communist Party of Peru – Shining Path (PCP-SL) in 1969 and led a rebellion against the Peruvian government until his capture by authorities on 12 September 1992. He was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism and treason.
In the 1960s and 1970s, Guzmán was a professor of philosophy active in far-left politics strongly influenced by Marxism, Leninism, and Maoism. He developed an ideology of armed struggle stressing the empowerment of the Indigenous people. He went underground in the mid-1970s to become the leader of the Shining Path, which began "The People's War" or the "Armed Struggle" on 17 May 1980.