Cayara massacre

On May 14, 1988, the Peruvian military killed 39 peasants in the district of Cayara, Ayacucho.^[1] The massacre was carried out in retaliation for a Shining Path ambush that killed four soldiers.^[1]

Troops removed and incinerated the bodies of the victims in order to cover up the massacre.^[1] Several witnesses, including Cayara's mayor, were later 'disappeared'.^[1]

The government of Alan García initially denied that any massacre had taken place, citing the absence of bodies.^[1]

In 2023, 18 soldiers who took part in the killings were sentenced to jail terms of eight to 15 years.^[1]