Pro-Government Militias
Comando Rodrigo Franco (Peru)
Basic Group Information
| Name assigned by coder: | no |
| PGM ID Number: | 302 |
| Country: | Peru |
| Date formed: | July 28, 1988 |
| Accuracy of date formed: | month |
| Details of Formation: | Sources state that the group was formed by government officials from the ruling party, the American Popular Revolutionary Alliance (APRA). There are contradictory allegations according to which it was either created by the Deputy Interior Minister Agustin Mantilla or the armed forces. Comando Rodrigo Franco calls itself after a prominent member of the APRA, who was assassinated in 1987. |
| Date dissolved: | Aug. 1, 1990 |
| Accuracy of date dissolved: | month |
| Details of Termination: | There was an apparent decrease in the PGM’s activities in Lima during 1990, which was particularly notable after the APRA lost power in July. |
| Termination Type(s): | change in government |
Former and Successor Group Information
| Predecessor group(s): | none |
| Successor group(s): | none |
| Private Military Company? | no |
| Former Group? | no |
| Former Armed Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group? | no |
| Former Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
| PGM Becomes Rebel Group? | no information |
| Successor Rebel Group UCDP ID: | none |
Government Relation, Support, and Training
| Government Relation: | informal (type 1) |
| Created by the Government?: | yes | Main Creating Government Institution: | unclear |
| Government Link(s): | political party; state (institution) |
| If link to party, name of party: | Partido Aprista Peruano (APRA) |
| Training and Equipment: | yes |
| Shared Information and Joint Operations: | no information |
| Shared Personnel: | yes |
| Type(s) of Material Support: | Foreign government |
| State Sponsor(s): | Korea North |
| Other Connection(s): |
Group Characteristics
| Membership: | security forces; party activists |
| Primary Membership: | noncivilian |
| Alternative Primary Membership: | no information |
| Location: | Lima |
| Force Strength: | [unknown, unknown] |
| Target(s): | unarmed political opposition, government critics; rebels, insurgents, or other armed group; aid workers; journalists |
| Purpose(s): | protect state, national or religious institutions; intimidation of civilians |
Ethnic Characteristics
| Ethnic Target(s): | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Targeting: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Membership: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Membership: | not applicable |
| Ethnic Purpose: | none |
| Quality of Information for Ethnic Purpose: | not applicable |
Other Information
| Other Information: | On July 15, 2003, Garcia denied that the Rodrigo Franco Commando existed and said it was a figment of someone's imagination. Targets included union leaders of miners. |
New Variables from Meta-Analysis
Purpose
| Purpose: | The group was reportedly intended to serve as a special security force for the APRA. Initially, it was only designated to identify opponents, but it was then also used to kill and intimidate leftist political opponents, human rights workers, lawyers, union members, and others accused of promoting revolutionary terrorism. |
| Relative Benefit(s) of PGM Use | unknown |
Treatment of Civilians
| Treatment of Civilians: | The group was responsible for murders and bombings and threatened and intimidated government opponents. Overall, it is estimated that the group killed over 228 civilians. |
| Type(s) of Violence against Civilians: | killing |
Reasons for Membership
| PGM Members Coerced? | no information |
| PGM Members Paid? | no information |
| Reasons for Membership: | |
| PGM Members Killed? | no information |
PGM Size
| Size: |
Weapons and Training
| Weapons and Training: | In one news source it is reported that around 200 members were trained in North Korea. There is no additional information on the group’s training or weapons. |
Organisation
| Organisation: | News reports state that the group was linked to the police and it was suspected to have ties to the military. Based on the information available it is unclear how exactly the APRA government exercised control over the PGM. |
Reference(s) for Meta-Analysis
Evidence
- Examine the evidence for this coding.