Peruvian Foreign Minister Hector Bejar has resigned after public backlash over his comments about the navy's alleged link to terrorism in the country and the US Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) role, national media reported on Wednesday, citing government sources
BUENOS AIRES (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 18th August, 2021) Peruvian Foreign Minister Hector Bejar has resigned after public backlash over his comments about the navy's alleged link to terrorism in the country and the US Central Intelligence Agency's (CIA) role, national media reported on Wednesday, citing government sources.
On Tuesday, Bejar, who served as Peru's top diplomat for less than a month from July 29 until August 17 of this year, handed in a letter of resignation, which was accepted by the president, the Lima-based RPP broadcaster reported.
Media previously reported that the 85-year-old professor had claimed that "terrorism in Peru was started by the naval forces." He also reportedly said that the Shining Path militant group had been trained by the CIA.
The Peruvian Foreign Ministry rejected the reports, saying they were "edited, cut and taken out of context to discredit ... the Minister of Foreign Affairs."
The opposition used the opportunity to call for Bejar's resignation, and dozens of people gathered outside the ministry building on Tuesday morning, demanding that measures be taken against the foreign minister. The country's naval forces also condemned the official's statements.
The Shining Path group originated in the 1960s among university teachers and students of one of the poorest Peruvian departments of Ayacucho. In 1980, it reorganized into an armed group and began terrorist activities against government officials
