On Wednesday, September 11th, former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori passed away at the age of 86 in the capital city of Lima. He led Peru’s economic growth in the 1990s, achieved victory in the bloody battle against Maoist guerrilla groups, but was also convicted of “human rights violations” during military operations.
Fujimori, the son of Japanese immigrants, was born on July 28, 1938, in Lima, Peru on Independence Day. As a mathematician and president of an agricultural university, Fujimori was relatively unknown in politics when he ran for president, even driving a tractor to campaign rallies.
Presenting himself as an alternative to Peru’s white elite, Fujimori garnered support from a significant portion of the indigenous and mixed-race population. His victory over renowned writer Mario Vargas Llosa in the 1990 election stunned the world.
In his second week in office, he abruptly ended subsidies that maintained essential food prices, leading to the famous “Fujishock.”
Following his inauguration, Fujimori’s hands-on approach yielded fruitful results but also angered opponents due to centralization of power.
He successfully combated severe hyperinflation that left millions of Peruvians unemployed, privatized dozens of state-owned companies, and reduced trade tariffs, setting the foundation for Peru to become one of the most stable economies in Latin America for a period.
Under his leadership, the leader of the Peruvian Communist Party and the Maoist organization “Shining Path,” Abimael Guzman was captured. This dealt a deadly blow to the revolutionary movement that nearly overthrew the Peruvian government in the 1980s. Guzman passed away in prison in September 2021.
In 1997, another terrorist organization, the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement, seized 500 hostages in the Japanese embassy in Peru. Fujimori refused to compromise and release criminals. After a months-long standoff, most hostages were eventually released by the terrorists.
Fujimori personally commanded the assault, codenamed “Chavín de Huántar,” near the embassy, deploying over 200 special forces to rescue the remaining 72 hostages held by the terrorists. During the 38-minute operation, all 14 terrorists were eliminated, while two special forces officers and one hostage lost their lives.
Despite his achievements, many Peruvians viewed Fujimori as a dictator for closing the congress with military tanks in 1992, rewriting the constitution, implementing free-market reforms, and strict anti-terror laws. His ten-year rule was marred by a series of corruption scandals that sparked public outrage.
In 2000, amid escalating corruption scandals, Fujimori amended the constitution and won a third term in office. Shortly after, videos of his senior advisor and head of the National Intelligence Service, Vladimiro Montesinos, bribing politicians were exposed.
In November 2000, due to the continuously brewing corruption scandals, Fujimori was forced to resign and fled to Japan, where he faxed his resignation from Tokyo. He later ran for Japanese senator but was unsuccessful.
Fujimori held dual citizenship. As Japan does not extradite its citizens, he was safe in Japan. Therefore, when he decided to return to Peru in 2005, hoping for forgiveness and a return to politics, many were surprised.
He was arrested during a layover in Chile and extradited back to Peru in 2007. In 2009, Fujimori was convicted for the military activities he authorized during his ten-year tenure and sentenced to 25 years in prison.
The primary charge against Fujimori was that he ordered death squad actions in the fierce battles against the terrorist organization “Shining Path,” resulting in the deaths of 25 people.
During his imprisonment, Fujimori’s public appearances were limited to visits to hospitals, where he appeared disheveled and weak.
Despite critics viewing his health issues as a ploy for release, President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski pardoned Fujimori in 2017.
However, a few months later, Kuczynski faced impeachment, and Peru’s Constitutional Court overturned the pardon, returning Fujimori to custody and back to prison.
In December 2023, the court reinstated Fujimori’s pardon, releasing him due to suffering from stomach ulcers, high blood pressure, and tongue cancer. In May 2024, Fujimori announced he was diagnosed with malignant tumors.
Fujimori’s daughter, Keiko, staunchly defended her father’s political legacy. Advocating for his pardon and defending the constitution, she narrowly missed winning the presidency in three elections.
On Wednesday, his daughter Keiko Fujimori posted on the social media platform X, stating, “After a long battle with cancer, our father has just passed away and met the Lord. We ask those who loved him to pray with us, so that his soul may rest eternally.”
Fujimori was married twice. He had four children with his first wife, Susana Higuchi. During his presidency, he appointed his eldest daughter Keiko to assume the duties of the First Lady. His eldest son, Kenji Fujimori, also is a politician.
(Adapted from Reuters)