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Peru: Alberto Fujimori to be moved to new prison built for him

Living in Peru
Israel J. Ruiz


After accusations were made that Peru's former President Alberto Fujimori was living in a "golden cell" and being treated like a king, the Ministry of Justice opened an investigation to verify if the claims were true.

Local media in Lima reported that the former president, who is currently on trial for allegedly taking part in murders and kidnappings, was not abiding by prison regulations and had countless privileges normal prisoners did not have.

It was reported that Fujimori did not have set visiting hours and was receiving visits from lawyers, family members, congressional representatives and "unknown women" at all hours.

Furthermore, claims were made that Peru's former president had a laptop, cellular phones and had run up a $5,000 phone bill in calls to Japan.

Less than a week after the accusations were made, the country's National Penitentiary Institute (INPE) announced that Alberto Fujimori would be moved to a new prison, which had been built exclusively for him.

The new prison is to be on an 891-square-meter piece of land and will be 405 square meters large.

Fujimori will be the only inmate at the prison, which will have an office, a patio and an infirmary.

It has been announced that the former president could be moved within the next 15 days.

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# carl says :
7 May, 2008 [ 12:31 ]

well there is too much lies, 5000 dollar bill phone calls?, if he d had a laptop computer why he would talk too much by phone.

# Rene says :
7 May, 2008 [ 14:50 ]

Well, maybe he does not have internet. Or if he does, it is dial-up, as it is quite common in Peru.

Personally I find it more worrysome that he basically gets a house that they call prison. What's wrong with a normal prison? He has too many friends in there?

# Renato says :
7 May, 2008 [ 15:06 ]

Since president Fujimori saved Peru from the Shinning Path and economic catastrophe the least they can do is to keep him in a nice prison.  The terrorists killed thousands, he was the only one courageous enough to face them and defeat them, very few allegedly innocent ones were killed, and he has to go to prison.  Amazing.

# Carlos Bugatti says :
7 May, 2008 [ 16:08 ]

Renato, I remember as most in Peru, probably you as well; when the Shinning Path kidnaped the students that were attending Universidad La Cantuta when Fujimori was president. When he did not agree to their terms, the Shinning Path cut off the heads of the students. The demand was for him to release other Shinning Path members that were in prison. The President Fujimori response was to send out a special unit to track down the Shinning Path communists and to capture them. Well they were captured, and then they were executed on the spot. If you were a communist at the time, then it was murder. If you were not a communist, it was very justified. I to this day believe it was very justified. I believe there was a total of 15 students?

# Marta T. says :
7 May, 2008 [ 17:29 ]

Yes carlos, I think it was 12. but you maybe correct about 15 being the number. People say that reason soldiers killed the members of shinning path was due to one of the girls being pregnant.

# carl says :
7 May, 2008 [ 20:20 ]

That university is still the cuddle of terrorists, It should have been closed.

# stalker says :
8 May, 2008 [ 09:29 ]

unknown women at all hours? membership does have its privliges!

# Luis says :
8 May, 2008 [ 09:31 ]

This was probably the few students that were not terrorists and reason they were singled out by shinning path.

# kmk says :
8 May, 2008 [ 10:06 ]

Carlos,

I don't know where you get your information. The Colina paramilitary group organized by Montesino's Servicio Nacional de Inteligencia was responsible for the killing of 9 students and a professor from Cantuta University. They were probably terrorists, but that's no reason to murder them. Read today's El Comercio.

# Renato says :
8 May, 2008 [ 10:45 ]

When I said "he has to go to prison," I was being sarcastic.  I think Fujimori did much for Peru, and the country should thank him for that, not penalize him.  The Cantuta guys were probably communist conspirators, and if they weren't then they are casualties of war.  The communists killed thousands of innocents, Fujimori gave them war and beat them, a few innocent may have died in that effort but that is what happens in a war.  Fujimori didn't start the war, but he ended it and brought peace and hope to Peru.  No one is perfect, he messed up trying to stay in power past 2000.  But we can't forget what he did for the country we love.

# carl says :
8 May, 2008 [ 11:30 ]

Dont you  remember how cruel shinning was? remember we were on war.

# Jaime says :
8 May, 2008 [ 13:14 ]

Now I don't want to turn this into an all out Pro-Fujimori vs anti-Fujimori war.

So let's just agree to disagree on the subject of how he handled terrorism. I'm not on the side of the ends justifies the means, at least not totally.

However, I think we can all agree that IF IT IS PROVEN that he did ILLEGAL and IMMORAL things like buying congressmen, TV/Radio channels, controlling Peru in a dicatorship and corrupt way, stealing taxpayers money, etc. He should get charged and go to jail just like any human being on the planet. And in the meantime he shouldn't get special privilages like he is a king period.

At least give me that! ;)

# mericorps says :
8 May, 2008 [ 13:22 ]

I am sort of shock at the level of ignorance in these posts.

Many of you are simply pretending that he ONLY decimated shining path and pretending he did not also brutally kill and torture innocent people who simply opposed him.

The 2 issues are NOT connected and if you are really so ignorant to turn a blind eye to brutal murder of innocents since he also did something desperately needed for peru, then it is your obligation to sacrifice your sons and daughters in exchange for the mothers and father and children who grieve for their innocent family members who were killed by Fujimoris orders.

It really takes a grand level of ignorance that is incalculable to try to say that killing innocent people brutaly can be ignored and we can pretend it never happened for ANY reason.

I am just glad that you animals do not represent most of Peru as the Fujimoristas numbers are small and dwindeling as the truth is exposed about the other side of his regime.

Did he decimate shining path..Yes...was that needed for Peru..yes...is he on trial for that...NO...he is on trial for a crimes against humanity that are a sperate issue than the Shining Path issue.

I really have to think about the grieving families who lost innocent family members and what they must think and feel when they hear the garbage that their loved ones deaths mean nothing because Fujimori did some good things too....barbaric.

# carl says :
8 May, 2008 [ 16:15 ]

Facts Merycrops, don t lie. pls

# mericorps says :
8 May, 2008 [ 16:58 ]

don't lie?  First of all, that is hysterical comming from you with your reputation here.

Further, if you think there are no FACTs to back that up, why in the world are they holding this trial?

They are holding this trail because there are plenty of facts and evidence supporting a Fujimori lead a brigade of death squad killers who killed innocent people...or did you bother to read the article or anything about this trial?

You are such a joke it is more pathetic than sad.

# Tupac Yupanqui says :
8 May, 2008 [ 17:14 ]

Everybody:  let's get a perspective here.  If it were true that Fujimori was responsible for the massacre of 12....ok,15...."La Cantuta" students....how does this compare to over 4,000 US soldiers killed in Iraq, not to mention over 25,000 maimed and alienated....and over 100,000 Iraquis killed since the Bush administration occupied Iraq?  I know you may think these two cases are apples and oranges...but I think it's worth the comparison. What are all these lives being sacrificed for?
Power? Greed?

I know every human life is valuable.....but it doesn't justify crucifying Alberto Fujimori who did so much for Peru.  Fujimori also had his "Cheney" in Montesinos, who undoubtedly had him under his thumb and probably threatened to harm his family. It's very sad to see this man imprisoned......isn't it enough hell for him that he will never be allowed to be President again?  Why do we have inflict mental torture on him! 

# Jaime says :
8 May, 2008 [ 20:26 ]

Tupac you started so well and then you failed me bro :(.

Nobody is crucifying Fujimori because the crucifiction of Christ was done with no trial and no facts. This is as far as I know (and many in the press and public agree) a FAIR trail, where it will be facts that will charge Fujimori not just hatred or bad feelings. Is there some of that sure, as well as the unblinding love of Fujimoristas but in the end facts prevail period.

Just like you compared Fujimori to Bush, in a perfect world Bush (aka the Worst President in the History of the US) would also go on trial. Alas, that is impossible. So for now I am content with seeing another SOB Corrupt Dictator get what he deserves.

P.S Fujimori will find a way to run for President again Tupac which shows he has no shame.

# Mike says :
8 May, 2008 [ 21:33 ]

You know, as much as I hate Bush, I don't see the comparison.  There isn't any evidence (at least not yet) that Bush has done anything illegal.

Incompetence is not illegal.

And anyone that says the idiot is the worst president is just talking about recent history.  There have been worse presidents (Warren Harding for one).

# Tupac Yupanqui says :
9 May, 2008 [ 00:06 ]

Jaime:  do you know of anyone who found a way to run for President of Peru again?......and he showed no shame?  I'll spare you the details, but you know what I mean bro.  Surprisingly, I believe he's doing a better job this time and putting Peru on the map.  So.....go figure! 

Mike:  think it through. I understand that you don't see the comparison, but I just wanted people to see "the big picture".  Bush is not just incompetent, that's an understatement.....he's a war criminal in my book. I would love to see him tried in The Hague in the near future... maybe that's just a fantasy. But hey!..it could happen. I'd like to see this dictator behind bars some day.

# carl says :
9 May, 2008 [ 05:18 ]

Fujimori did not lead kill innocent people, mericrops. He is a heroe, evidece is not facts. pls don t lie. You look histeric, what happened to you

# carl says :
9 May, 2008 [ 05:32 ]

mericropos you are terrorist get out from Peru

# Mike says :
9 May, 2008 [ 07:46 ]

Carl;

Evidence is fact; that's the whole point.   Just because you don't like someone isn't a reason to put them on trial (re: Bush).  Your "book" is not the law. Thankfully.

As far as Fujimori goes, I don't think too many people in Peru would be interested in prosecuting someone without some strong evidence - particularly since he did do alot for the country.  Based on what I have read, it seems likely he is guilty, but I am not at the trial, so I can't really say 100% one way or the other.  And neither can you; we wait for what a fair trial is going to reveal.

And is it fair?  I imagine with all of the attention to this case, and what sounds like very strong evidence against him, that is would be pretty incomptent and corrupt of the court not to give him a fair trial.  Let the guilty convict themselves.

# Renato says :
9 May, 2008 [ 10:00 ]

Some choose to believe these students from La Cantuta were high caliber political enemies of President Fujimori and he had reason to personally plot their assasination.  Apparently, they threatened his popularity or his permanence in power, all democratically, and therefore he personally singled them out, and asked his comrades to go and murder them because they were the biggest threat to his dictatorship.  I, as many, believe this is not the case.  You are free to hang out with Mao apologists who plan terrorist attacks and did not to surrender when given the chance and you may get killed or you can live a normal live, work hard and your chances of being hit by the evil communist-killer dictaror are close to nil.  Just as some choose to believe that Fujimori, personally picked these innocent human beings, I choose to believe Intellegence identified these otherwise common citizens as terrorists given their actions, no Fujimori involved.  If you dislike Fujimori, you can somehow believe he spent time plotting murders of innocent university students who didn't do anything out of the ordinary, Fujimori just picked and chose, maybe he rolled the dice.  But I find that hard to believe because his agenda was pretty full fixing the economy, fighting a conflict with Ecuador and finalizing that issue for good, defeating the Shinning Path and the MRTA, rescuing kidnapped people, putting order in communist corntrolled training camp jails, addressing international commitments (paying debts), bringing new investments, building roads, caring for the first time in history about indegenous people by taking electricity, schools and medical facilities to them, etc, etc...  No, I don't think he had time to 'have fun' finding innocent little red ridding hoods in universities and ordering their assasinations just for pleasure or entertainment just because he is evil like that, or because these innocent ones were also somehow terrible political enemies.
Things have turned out for the good and when Fujimori quit Toledo was elected not some leftist, and now Garcia has more in commom with Lourdes Flores than with his 1985-self.  But we still can get Humala as president once Garcia is gone.  If that happens, hope not, people will remember what Peru was like between 1985 and 1990 and Fujimori will not look so bad.

# mericorps says :
9 May, 2008 [ 11:37 ]

Carl, ROFL, I appreciate your comic relief, but do not mistake my response as though you have anything valid or legitimate to say.  Throwing around the word terrorst makes it have no meaning..perfect I guess coming from your mouth.

As far as Bush goes, I think there is evidence that he has violated both US Constitiutional law and assorted world laws and treaties and if the evidence excists and he can be proven to have acted illegally, I would support sending him to war crimes tribunals and Impeachment. 

Again, Carl, if you are ok with innocent slaughter as some sort of balance against guilty slaughter, then it is your obligation to sacrifice the lives of your loved ones in place of the innocents, until then, you are just a hollow voice without any substance.

I believe the US invastion of Afghanistan was justifiable and legal, I believe fraud was committed to invade Iraq.  Since one was good and one was bad, they do not cancel each other out.

If one day I went a whole day helping the poor and doing good, and the next day I robbed a man but just of a few soles, then according to your warped backwards uneducated way of thinking, I should be allowed to go free as I did more good than harm.

Thank God that most people are smarter than that.

# carl says :
9 May, 2008 [ 13:04 ]

words of the Merycps, decimate, slaughter, idiots, you are a crazy terrorist.

# Tupac Yupanqui says :
9 May, 2008 [ 14:41 ]

Renato: you said it very eloquently. I think everyone here should read Renato's posts again and reflect on his views. He's the only one that makes sense.

Mericorps: you don't have to resort to insults (you animals) to get your point across. Remember animals are irrational? so, maybe you should not put yourself in that position.

Carl:  I see your point, but...it's not worth contesting Mericorps, he has his mind solidly set in cement.

# Mike says :
9 May, 2008 [ 15:01 ]

I don't think this should denigrate into name-calling, but I do agree that regardless of what else you do in your life, it doesn't allow you to break the rule of law.

However, I do believe that how a person behaves can have an impact on the punishment they receive (relative to the crime, though).

# carl says :
9 May, 2008 [ 18:27 ]

Fujimori the best president Peru ever have had.

# Tupac Yupanqui says :
9 May, 2008 [ 19:38 ]

You got that right, Carl.  Not only the best president, but you may say Inca Pachacutec (the best Inca)would approve of him.

# rice and sugar says :
20 May, 2008 [ 09:36 ]

Dear Mericorps,
You claim to be so intelligent and well prepared. You call everyone an "an ignorant", "an idiot", etc. I am assuming you have a great deal of education (despite some of your grammar mistakes); but the blinding passion with which you write questions your objectivity. I am not surprised people are comparing you to a Shining Path rebel.
Galileo Galilei was threatened with torture for bringing science against religion; and Christ was crucified for saying he was the son of God. Both Galileo and Christ are now revered in the world - one as a father of science, the other as a God (I am actually atheist myself, but that is besides the point). Fujimori is accused of killing 12-15 students. I remember so clearly: El Chino, during his government defended more than 40 000 Peruvians who were threatened by Shining Path. El Chino defended Peruvian against those terrorists!! You, Mericorps, you must be one of them - after all, you defend them so much....I am waiting for your passionate answer...Remember the more passion you write with, the more shining your path...

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