Four police officers were killed and at least seven were injured on January 2 in a shootout at a police station in Andahuaylas with extremist, xenophobic, paramilitary nationalists that led to a hostage taking situation. The incident began with an ambush of a police car on a bridge in the town. The nationalists, all followers of Antauro Humala, demanded the resignation of President Alejandro Toledo, saying ?This is a military protest and we are willing to lay down our arms and surrender when Toledo resigns from office.? Antauro is the head of the Etnocacerista Movement, which was named after former President Andres Avelino Caceres (1886-1890, 1894-1895), who led a rebellion against Chile in the War of the Pacific. Humala, a former army major, and his brother Ollanta, who was forced to retire from the army last week, have a sizable support base of this nationalist indigenous movement that is modeled on reclaiming the nation?s ancient Inca heritage. They are opposed to foreign investment, especially with Chile; promote a re-nationalization of Peru?s industry, a return of the death penalty, and the legalization of coca cultivation; and maintain a racist ideology against the ?European-descended elite.?

The group was comprised of about 100-125 rebels, all former military reservists, who took action when the police allegedly refused to sell their weapons. Thousands of local residents, demanding a peaceful resolution, converged in the town square alongside Humala, who claimed to have agreed to a three-hour truce to participate. Gunfire?celebratory on the paramilitary?s side and retaliatory on the sharpshooters? side–erupted as Humala returned to the station, however. It remains unclear if security forces stormed the station or threatened to.