César Astudillo

General César Augusto Astudillo Salcedo is a Peruvian General, who serves as the incumbent Chief of the Joint Command of the Peruvian Armed Forces since October 2018. Prior to his post, he served as the General Commander of the Peruvian Army in December 2017.

In 2014, he was appointed the Chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the VRAEM Special Command, and in June of the same year, he was appointed General Commander of CE-VRAEM. In 2015, he was appointed as the Inspector General of the Army until in December 2017 he was appointed as General Commander of the Peruvian Army, before being appointed as the Chief of the Joint Command of the Peruvian Armed Forces on October 30, 2018. During his term as Chief of the Joint Command, he led various operations in terrorism and military enforcement during the COVID-19 pandemic.

He was also involved in Operation "Cerco", by leading the capturing Óscar Ramírez Durand (Feliciano) in 1999, and in Operation "Peru", where he led the capture of DT Florindo Eleuterio Flores Hala (Artemio), in 2012, as commander of the 3rd Special Forces Brigade.

He graduated as an infantry officer in 1983, and was assigned to command various army units, particularly in infantry and special forces units. In 1995, he was involved in the Cenepa War, serving the Commando Battalion No. 19., and also led the Capture of Miguel Rincón from the MRTA, and in 1997, he, then a Major, was appointed to integrate the Intervention Force to rescue the 72 hostages that were held captive. On April 22, the date on which the “Chavín de Huántar” Rescue Operation was carried out, and joined the “ALFA” rescue patrol, whose mission was to rescue hostages on the 1st floor of the residence. Given his specialty in Command and training in rescue operations. On April 22, the date on which the “Chavín de Huántar” Rescue Operation was carried out, he joined the “ALFA” rescue patrol, whose mission was to rescue hostages on the 1st floor of the residence of the Japanese Ambassador to Peru.

He was born in Lima, Peru, on September 30, 1960, and entered the Chorrillos Military School in February 1979, before graduating in the "Héroes de la Breña" class of 1983. He graduated as a Systems Engineer, and holds a Master's degree in Administration and in Military Sciences. He also attended the Advanced Business Management Program (PADE) at the ESAN Business School and the Senior Management Program at the University of Piura. He also took courses locally and abroad such as the Weapons Course in Fort Gulick, Panama and the Resource Management Course and the Advanced Informatics Course at Fort Benning, Georgia in the United States. He is trained in Parachuting, Jumping Master, Free Fall, Regular Command Course and Armored Courses. He also graduated from the LVI Course on Command and General Staff at the United States Army War College, and the Higher Course in Psychological Operations and in the CAEN as a participant in the Defense and National Development Course.