---
category: Paramilitary
location: Ayacucho, Peru
start: 1969
summary: The Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso) is a Maoist terrorist group in Peru founded
  and led by Abimael Guzman Reynoso, a former philosophy professor, active since the
  early 1980s.
tags:
- Organization
- Paramilitary
- Peru
- Terrorism
---

The [Shining Path](/organizations/shining-path/) (Sendero Luminoso) is a Maoist terrorist group in [Peru](/places/peru/). It was founded and led by [Abimael Guzman Reynoso](/people/abimael-guzman-reynoso/), a former philosophy professor at the [University of San Cristobal](/organizations/university-of-san-cristobal/) in [Ayacucho](/places/ayacucho/).[^1]

In 1980, [Guzmán](/people/abimael-guzman-reynoso/) proclaimed the armed struggle against the capitalist government in [Lima](/places/lima/), leading to the [Shining Path](/organizations/shining-path/) becoming a powerful force. The department of [Ayacucho](/places/ayacucho/) was declared under martial law by [Peruvian President Alan Garcia](/people/alan-garcia/) due to the group's activities.[^1]

In 1988, [Ari Ben-Menashe](/people/ari-ben-menashe/) met with [Guzmán](/people/abimael-guzman-reynoso/) to secure rare minerals for [Israel's](/places/israel/) nuclear program. The [Shining Path](/organizations/shining-path/) agreed to sell the minerals for $10 million and requested [Israel](/places/israel/) to purchase the [Ocho Group](/organizations/ocho-group/) newspaper chain and provide medical equipment. The group's philosophy was a mixture of Inca and kibbutz ideology, with a focus on communal living and a unique perspective on social issues.[^1]

The [Shining Path](/organizations/shining-path/) controlled significant areas of [Peru](/places/peru/), particularly outside of [Ayacucho](/places/ayacucho/). They were involved in ambushes against the military, and their actions led to the slaughter of innocent villagers by [Col. Rafael Cordova](/people/rafael-cordova/) in retaliation. The group also used Stinger missiles to shoot down military helicopters.[^1]

[^1]: Ben-Menashe, Ari. *Profits of War: Inside the Secret U.S.-Israeli Arms Network*. TrineDay, 1992.