The 1992 Bolivian embassy attack in Lima was a terrorist attack carried out by the Shining Path on the Bolivian embassy in the city of Lima, Peru. The attack took place as part of an offensive policy of "armed general strike" by the Shining Path against the government of Alberto Fujimori.[1][2] The attack left up to 16 people injured, including locals and Bolivian embassy personnel.[3]
Background
At the beginning of 1992, the Shining Pathsw leadership planned an offensive to undermine national power and internationally degrade the image of Alberto Fujimori, who was due to attend the 2nd Ibero-American Summit in Madrid.[3] By 1992, Fujimori already had bad relations with the majority of the international Hispanic community due to his heavy-handed policy and excesses in the repression of the communist insurgency.[1]
Attack
On July 22, a car bomb exploded around noon near the embassy, causing great material damage and six people to be injured, including Peruvian civilians and Bolivian embassy personnel.[2] The Peruvian Foreign Ministry reported that the attack was part of Shining Path operations during its so-called "armed general strike".[1][2][3]
Aftermath
A Latin American diplomat, upon visiting the rubble of the embassy, expressed that "Lima gives the impression of being under the siege of a virtual civil war."[3]