The late former president of Peru, Fujimori, has passed away.
Former President of Peru, Alberto Fujimori, passed away at the age of 86 after battling cancer for a considerable period. His daughter, Keiko Fujimori, made the announcement on Twitter, representing her siblings, stating, "After a long fight with cancer, our father, Alberto Fujimori, has moved on to meet the Almighty."
Fujimori ruled Peru from 1990 to 2000. Initially, he was perceived as an honest figure in the political sphere, gaining support from the indigenous population and farmers who distrusted Lima's European-influenced aristocracy. As an analytical agronomist, he addressed Peru's economic crisis and hyperinflation using shock therapy and sustained the country's economic growth for years. However, it was during his tenure that the security forces were ordered to implement stern measures against left-wing and supposed subversive groups. Additionally, the parliament was dissolved, and the state was threatened by the terrorist organization Shining Path. Thousands of indigenous women were subjected to forced sterilizations with the aim of reducing their fertility rates.
Politically free since December
Despite the constitution restricting presidency terms to two, Fujimori sought a third term in 2000. He emerged victorious, but his reign was short-lived as the Montesinos scandal surfaced. Fujimori's intelligence chief, Vladimiro Montesinos, was caught on tape bribing a legislator to switch parties in favor of Fujimori. Fujimori took refuge in Japan, but he was eventually apprehended during a trip to Chile and sent back to Peru.
In 2009, Fujimori was given a 25-year prison sentence for the human rights violations committed by death squads under his rule. His sentence was commuted by then-President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in 2017, but the Supreme Court overturned the decision shortly afterwards, and Fujimori was re-imprisoned. Ultimately, the Constitutional Court declared the 2017 pardon in December, citing humanitarian grounds, a judgment criticized by human rights activists.
In July 2021, Keiko Fujimori, leader of the right-wing party Fuerza Popular, announced her father's intention to run for re-election as President.
The investigation into the human rights abuses under Fujimori's rule was overseen by The Commission for Truth and Reconciliation in Peru. Despite the pardon, Fujimori's imprisonment was upheld due to the decisions made by The Supreme Court of Peru.
