Latin America in Short: Blow to Sendero Luminoso in Peru | Zelensky Asks Latin America for Help

This week, the Peruvian military forces dealt a heavy blow to Sendero Luminoso. In global news, President Volodymyr Zelensky turned to Latin America to say how they could help Ukraine amid the Russian invasion. In environmental news, the study that found the Arctic has warmed at an accelerating rate compared to the rest of the world made headlines this week. In health news, Johnson & Johnson announced it was suspending the sale of its baby powder. Finally, in sports, Nairo Quintana will not be able to participate in La Vuelta a España. Here we summarize the most relevant of the week.

Peruvian military forces kill members of Sendero Luminoso

The Peruvian terrorist group Sendero Luminoso suffered another severe blow to its structure. The Peruvian Security Forces killed more than 10 members of the illegal group. "We have, by intelligence, communications and various means, approximately between 10 and 15 killed and a good number of wounded (…) It has been a heavy blow to terrorism in which we have seriously affected its center of gravity," Manuel Gómez de la Torre, the head of the Joint Command of the Armed Forces (CCFFAA), declared.

Despite the severe blow to the last remnant of the group, its leader, Víctor Quispe Palomino, alias “Camarada José”, managed to escape from the operation. However, Peruvian intelligence information believes that Quispe was injured. The military operation was carried out in the Valley of the Apurímac, Ene and Mantaro Rivers, located between the regions of Cusco, Apurímac, Ayacucho, Huancavelica and Junín; at South of the country. This is also where more than half of Peru's cocaine is produced, according to official sources, and where the last remnant of Sendero Luminoso moves.

President of Ukraine asks Latin America to cut ties with Russia

For the first time since Russia's military invasion of Ukraine began, Volodymyr Zelensky, the Ukrainian president, addresses Latin America specifically. The political leader took advantage of a teleconference with the Pontifical Catholic University of Chile to ask the governments of the region to stop trading with Moscow and that the participants of the event visit their country and witness the armed conflict that Ukraine has been experiencing for several years, but which intensified last February with the Russian intervention. Likewise, Zelenski assured that an efficient way in which Latin Americans can help Ukraine is by traveling to a city or region and helping in the reconstruction of colleges or universities that have been devastated by the war.

Recently, the former Colombian president and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Juan Manuel Santos, met with the Ukrainian president in Kyiv. Ban Ki Moon, former Secretary General of the United Nations, also participated in the visit. They discussed peaceful ways to resolve the conflict. “Humanity cannot ignore the moral absurdity of Russia's war against Ukraine. As Elders, we are here to listen and learn,” Santos said on his Twitter account.

The Arctic has warmed about four times faster than the rest of the world

Since 1979, the warming of the Arctic has occurred at a much faster rate, in a phenomenon known as Arctic amplification, according to research published by the journal Nature. According to this publication, "over the last 43 years the Arctic has been warming almost four times faster than the world." The novelty of this finding is that it was found to be almost double what had been previously estimated. In this way, it questions whether the amplification of the Arctic and the environmental consequences it could bring are being underestimated.

Johnson & Johnson has suspended the sale of its baby powder.

Pharmaceutical Johnson & Johnson has decided to stop producing its famous baby powders after receiving more than 38,000 lawsuits. The company announced in a press release that it will transition to corn-based talc production. “As a result of this transition, JOHNSON'S® Baby Powder will be discontinued globally in 2023,” it announced. However, they confirm that their position on the safety of their powders has not changed: "it is safe, it does not contain asbestos and it does not cause cancer".

Nairo Quintana will not ride La Vuelta a España

The Colombian Nairo Quintana will not run La Vuelta a España, as announced in a statement last Wednesday. The legendary cyclist is facing a reputational problem, since he was sanctioned for having consumed the drug Tramadol during his participation in the Tour de France. His punishment was a disqualification from the Tour, and the loss of the points he earned for his team in the UCI rankings. For this reason, Quintana preferred to return home and prepare a defense against the accusation, which has 10 days to appeal. "I prefer to return home, organize and prepare my defense on the notification that I received yesterday," Nairo said in a video.

Read also: Vuelta a España: Latinos Who Could Win It All