Bribery scandal one too many for Fujimori

By DAVID ADAMS

© St. Petersburg Times, published September 18, 2000

It was what many were calling for. But few ever expected it would happen.

In a stunning about-face for one of Latin America's most enduring leaders, Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori announced last weekend that he was calling new elections and would step down, bringing to an end his stormy, 10-year rule.

Street celebrations in the capital, Lima, hailed the news as a victory for democracy. "That's what this is all about," said Gustavo Gorriti, an award-winning Peruvian journalist and leading critic of Fujimori. "It's about democracy returning to Peru."

The dramatic rise and fall of 62-year-old Fujimori -- Latin America's longest-serving leader after Fidel Castro -- is indeed a classic lesson in the volatile history of democracy in Latin America.

Throughout the 1990s Fujimori rode roughshod over the Peruvian constitution. At first his flouting of democratic norms was overlooked by many Peruvians who credited him with defeating left-wing terrorism and restoring economic stability.

In more recent years, Peruvians began to count the cost of Fujimori's iron rule. One scandal after another raised questions about his reliance on venal politicians and a corrupt military. But it was his relationship with one man in particular, Vladimiro Montesinos, head of the feared National Intelligence Service, or SIN, that would most contribute to his undoing.

Fujimori's announcement came only days after Montesinos was caught on videotape offering a $10,000 bribe to a former opposition member of the Peruvian Congress, allegedly payment for his switching sides to support the government.

The video scandal was only the latest in a series of embarrassments for Fujimori. It came at a time when he was trying to rebuild his national and international image after presidential elections in April were tainted by serious allegations of fraud.

Fujimori had appeared determined to ride out international criticism. But the video was one scandal too many.

Montesinos was already under fire for multiple accusations, including illegal arms dealing, illicit enrichment and torture of government opponents. He was suspected of being behind an embarrassing arms scandal last month involving weapons delivered to left-wing guerrillas fighting to overthrow the government in Colombia.

The video scandal appears to have been too much for Fujimori, forcing a final break with Montesinos. In his address, he said that before stepping down he would "deactivate" the SIN, leaving the future of his once trusted adviser in doubt.

"After profound reflection," Fujimori said, "I do not want to become a disturbing factor, and much less, an obstacle to the strengthening of the democratic system."

Although Fujimori's decision took many by surprise, opponents said it was a carefully calculated decision in the face of mounting odds. "He is a very cold-minded man, and he realizes that if he let this situation escalate, he would have a situation similar to that of Richard Nixon in the 1970s," said former opposition Sen. Miguel Cruchaga.

Others put it down to an inevitable process of deterioration as a result of systematic corruption. "There was a process of rottening in the regime," Gorriti said. "This is a mafia government that finally began to unravel."

Gorriti attributed the president's decision to mounting international pressure, led by the United States, and fueled by the election fraud and bribery scandal. U.S. officials were especially alarmed by evidence that Peru was involved in smuggling guns to the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia, or FARC.

President Clinton recently approved a massive $1.3-billion aid package to Colombia after growing evidence that the guerrillas were using drug trafficking proceeds to buy weapons and greatly augment their military strength.

Relations with the United States had been deteriorating for some time. The Clinton administration was critical of the April elections, calling the allegations of fraud "well-documented."

U.S. officials boycotted Fujimori's third presidential inauguration in July, which was marred by violence in which six people died.

After the video scandal, John Hamilton, the U.S. ambassador to Peru, called on Fujimori to take "clear and energetic steps to restore public confidence in the intelligence services."

The Organization of American States also called for the immediate suspension of Montesinos, calling him an obstacle to talks between the government and the opposition on democracy.

"Given the numerous accusations that in recent years, and particularly in recent months, have been directed toward Vladimiro Montesinos, it is clear ... that if prompt action is not taken ... it will be very difficult to re-establish an adequate climate to move ahead with the democratization agenda that has been agreed," the OAS said.

It was unclear exactly why the president chose to step down himself, rather than simply fire his disgraced spymaster. Critics say Fujimori's longstanding reliance on Montesinos left the president no option than for the two to bow out together.

It has long been believed in Peru that Fujimori was a prisoner of his spy chief, due to information Montesinos possessed about the president's past. Media investigations in Peru have claimed that Fujimori falsified his birth certificate to hide the fact that he was not born in Peru, which would make him ineligible for election as president. Other allegations concern Fujimori's failure to pay taxes on property he owned before his election.

"Montesinos knew too much," said Cecilia Valenzuela, an independent journalist and founder of Imediaperu.com, an Internet site for investigative reporting.

"Fujimori edified the whole structure of government around him. He relied on him for everything. It wasn't possible to undo that. They were partners and accomplices."

Valenzuela and other members of Peru's independent press claim a fair part of the credit for Fujimori's fall. Despite official government control of the main media outlets, they worked tirelessly to expose the dirty secrets of the regime. "In the end it was the independent press who unmasked Fujimori and forced him to get rid of Montesinos," Valenzuela said.

Although Fujimori has not set a date for the elections, he made it clear in a televised address to the nation that he would not be a candidate. Peruvian officials say the new vote would likely take place in six to seven months.

Fujimori's decision leaves the door open to Alejandro Toledo, the former shoeshine boy and opposition presidential candidate who came close to upsetting the president in April. Toledo said that election was rigged and refused to stand in a May runoff that Fujimori won unopposed.

Toledo, who was in the United States over the weekend, said he would cancel a tour of Europe this week in order to return to Peru to prepare his election campaign.

Meanwhile, Fujimori hopes Peruvians will not forget the good things he achieved in power.

In an appeal to TV viewers Saturday night, he said he had devoted 10 years of intense hard work to raise his country "from the ruins."

But the mood Sunday appeared largely unsympathetic. While there were some expressions of sorrow at his departure, there was mostly widespread relief.

© 2006 • All Rights Reserved • St. Petersburg Times
490 First Avenue South • St. Petersburg, FL 33701 • 727-893-8111

Contact the Times | Privacy Policy
Standard of Accuracy | Terms, Conditions & Copyright