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 |
| Party | Communist Party of Peru – Shining Path |
| Spouses | |
| Alma mater | National University of San Agustín |
| Occupation | Professor, revolutionary |
| 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 information | |
| Criminal status | Died in custody |
| Convictions | Terrorism Murder |
| Criminal penalty | Two life sentences |
Manuel Rubén Abimael Guzmán Reinoso (Latin American Spanish: [maˈnwel ruˈβ̞en aβ̞imaˈel ɣ̞uzˈman rejˈnoso]; 3 December 1934 − 11 September 2021), also known by his nom de guerre Chairman Gonzalo (Spanish: Presidente Gonzalo; [pɾesiˌð̞ente ɣ̞onˈsalo]), was a Peruvian Maoist revolutionary and 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 then sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism and treason.
Guzmán joined the Communist Party when he was about 20 years old. In the 1960s and 1970s, he 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-1960s to become the leader of the Shining Path, which began "The People's War" or the "Armed Struggle" on 17 May 1980.