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Peru ok with Chile free trade deal and believes Fujimori will be found guilty

Living in Peru
Israel Ruiz

A survey done by a public opinion group for the University of Lima showed that the majority of Limeans were in favor of a free trade deal with Chile.

Local media reported that 58.9 percent of the population in Metropolitan Lima and Callao said they supported the free trade agreement.

47.5 percent of those surveyed assured that both countries would benefit from this pact.

The study, which was done on March 7 and 8, also revealed that over 50 percent of participants had little or no information on Alberto Fujimori's trial for the massacres at Barrios Altos and La Cantuta.

Despite this, 70.7 percent said Fujimori would be found guilty. On the other hand, 23.3 percent of those surveyed said he would be acquitted.

Polls from the University of Lima also showed that Alan Garcia's approval rate had risen to 42.6 percent.

It was reported that the majority of his supporters were between the ages of 18 and 27 years old.

Have other topics you'd like to see in our news section? If you or someone you know would like to contribute a news article to Living in Peru, whether it's translated or based on a personal investigation, send it to editor@livinginperu.com.

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# rice and sugar says :
11 March, 2009 [ 12:54 ]

If asked whether I believe if Fujimori will be convicted, I would answer that YES, I believe they will convict FUjimori. But if I was asked whether I think he is guilty - that is a different question.
I still believe Fujimori was the best president Peru has had in many years...

# SA says :
11 March, 2009 [ 13:02 ]

Sadly, I believe that the court will find him innocent and then give a bullshit excuse for aquitting him. 
If he is convicted then they will pardon him and give a bullshit excuse for doing so. 
Remember that these are politicians. 
They care ONLY about themselves!
All the rest is a managere'.
Same as other nations.

# mericorps says :
11 March, 2009 [ 21:24 ]

I predict Peru will advance a little towards a bright future by holding a fair trial and holding Fujimori accountable for the people he killed and not give him a free pass just because he also mostly eliminated shining path.

A good deed..ney..a great deed does not give someone a free pass to break the law.

# noname says :
11 March, 2009 [ 22:09 ]

mericorps... we all know that to your eyes... it's only ok for terrorists to kill thousand of innocents and ruin the whole country...  everything else is just breaking the law... uh-huh!

# mericorps says :
12 March, 2009 [ 08:03 ]

actually, no-name,

Once again you are a liar so once again, I suggest you have no value to this discussion.

I have repeatedly denounced shining path and praised Fujimori for going after them with guns blazing.

That, however has NOTHING to do with why he is on trial.

I realize the truth does not suite your argument..but it is pretty sad and pathetic to simply lie...

Bless your heart.

# Gustavo Alayza says :
12 March, 2009 [ 11:01 ]

I´m from Arequipa (south Peru) and remind to Peruvians and foreigners that Lima ins´t all Peru, in the south the majority believes that the free trade with Chile is harmful in 9 points that can be read here.

1. Allows Chilean companies are not subject to the Court House of Peru.

2. Prevents to Chilean companies may expropriate for reasons of national security.

3. Does not respect the maritime domain of the 200 miles and change the definition of our territory.

4. Chilean companies can be established in Peru without any limitation, but the Peruvian companies are subject to the Status of Foreign Investment in Chile.

5. Peru renunce the possibility of putting conditions on the Chilean investors (such as technology transfer, use of labor, etc.).

6. Prevents the application of new taxes or taxes that may be considered threats to their expectations of gain.

7. Allows preferential treatment to the Chilean professionals.

8. Has not been approved by Congress as mandated by the Constitution.

9. Consolidates the imbalance of U.S. $ 6500 million Chilean investment in Peru, versus 60 million investment in Peruvian Chile.

...

Soy de Arequipa y recuerdo a los peruanos y extranjeros que Lima no es el Perú y por tanto ne el sur la mayoría opina que el TLC o ACE con Chile es nocivo en 9 puntos que pueden leer aquí.

1. Permite que las empresas chilenas no se sometan al Poder Judicial del Perú.

2. Impide que el Estado peruano pueda expropiar empresas chilenas por motivos de seguridad nacional.

3. No respeta el dominio marítimo sobre las 200 millas y altera la definición de nuestro territorio.

4. Las empresas chilenas se pueden establecer en el Perú sin ninguna limitación, pero las empresas peruanas están condicionadas al Estatuto de Inversión Extranjera de Chile.

5. Le quita al Perú la posibilidad de poner condiciones al inversionista chileno (como transferencia de tecnología, utilización de mano de obra, etc).

6. Impide la aplicación de nuevos tributos o impuestos que pueden ser considerados amenazas a sus expectativas de ganancia.

7. Permite un tratamiento preferencial a los profesionales chilenos sobre los peruanos.

8. No ha sido aprobado por el Congreso de la república como manda la constitución.

9. Consolida el desequilibrio de 6,500 millones de dólares de inversión chilena en el Perú, versus 60 millones de inversión peruana en Chile.

# noname says :
12 March, 2009 [ 13:49 ]

mericorps...

Once again, your only argument is to try to silence me by throwing sand in my face with a shovel.... so much for a valid argument, clearly you just hate the fact that there are some of us here who know the truth just because WE WERE THERE!!! unlike you that go by your agenda PRO-SENDERISTA! you are just an INFILTRADO. I know your kind, at some point I even had to share a "room for rent" with two or three of your kind... back in the days of horror your people put us through

# mericorps says :
12 March, 2009 [ 16:31 ]

what a load of malarky,

My only argument is that you are making lies, and as proof, I simply point out your lies.

Silence you? LOL, you are really a joke..probably a troll just trying to rile me.

# noname says :
12 March, 2009 [ 19:23 ]

mericorps,

why are you taking it so personally? what about your valid points? if you have any that is.... you call me a liar? well, be truthful and tell me exactly which lies are you refering to? the fact that I have my own opinion and that those opinions differ from yours does not make me a liar, SIR!

If you want me to give you my arguement and go back to having a civilized discussion, then I suggest you calm down and stop playing your "sand in the face" strategy... we are all entitled to our own opinios here and I honestly don't see why you would so easily assume that my opinions are lies.

# Rene says :
12 March, 2009 [ 20:51 ]

noname, your post "we all know that to your eyes... it's only ok for terrorists to kill thousand of innocents and ruin the whole country...  everything else is just breaking the law" is a lie in terms that we can read from many other posts from mericorps that she has a very balanced opinion about Fujimori's history, whether you agree with it or not (plus you cannot speak for "all"). Saying this has nothing to do with an opinion. Then as a defense you write "WE WERE THERE!!!". Well, I don't know who "we" is supposed to be, but from what you've told all of us you have left the country 15 years ago and thus have only seen 4 out of ten years of Fujimori's time. So that's not 100% true either. For what I understand, what the court is currently discussing allegedly happened in the period that you were NOT there. Yet another contradiction in your post: "we are all entitled to our own opinios here". Well, definitely not, since you're attacking everyone who has a less positive opinion about what happens in Peru or any opinion other than yours. The only one you allow to have an opinion is yourself.

And then you're telling others to calm down, while we can all read that you are the one who picked up the hatch here by personally attacking mericorps. Why is that? I can understand that you want to keep this site positive about Peru, but now you're attacking people personally for their opinion about a president's deeds. I consider that not done...

# noname says :
12 March, 2009 [ 23:07 ]

First of all, I didn't know Rene and mericorps are the same person...  secondly, I didn't know mericorps was a she...  so then I assume Rene, are you a she too?.. I don't know!

Now, about your WE WERE THERE comment.. I comend you to go back and read my post again and please do it comprehensably this time... I said "the fact that THERE ARE SOME OF US HERE THAT KNOW THE TRUTH ... just because WE WERE THERE!!!... so that's the "we" that you are missing... looks like you read and the same speed that you type... too fast! ...

Going back to your "confussion" on the years... the first shinning path attacks WE suffered in Peru date from Fernando Belaunde's second half of his term, I am talking about 83-85... I was 17-18 years old and I was just graduating from high school... the Garcia Perez took over and that is when Sendero hit even harder and non stop, of course mericorps doesn't want to hear it... but yes, I WAS THERE... and I suffered all the consequences, I wish you guys could experience JUST ONE WEEK of what it was during those ten long years... JUST ONE WEEK so maybe you would stop the whine and ask Fuji to end it. So yes, I left in towards the end of 93... La Cantuta happened in 92 and Barrios Altos on 91... I guess the math skills you used to have... have gone bad in no time... I guess I could just go on and on proving you wrong, but I won't do it cause like the saying goes... "para muestra basta un boton"

# Rene says :
13 March, 2009 [ 00:40 ]

First of all, your assumption that mericorps and I are one and the same if wrong, but I could have expected such a conclusion from you. I did say "she" when referring to mericorps, but actually I do not know mericorps and wouldn't know it's he or she. It just slipped in there. But besides that, my gender is completely irrelevant anyway. 

So "we" = "some of us"... I read that already, but do not find that very accurate to support your argument. it is similar to "there are people"...

Then about the "confusion", this whole discussion is about the reason why Fuji is in custody: for his alleged responsibility for the killing of innocent people allegedly ordered and executed by the government in Fuji's later years. So I think it is you who is confused. Shining path killed before Fuji, during Fuji and after Fuji. And none of us have ever said that the terror caused by shining path didn't happen or isn't serious enough (so I guess it is you who types too fast without reading properly, huh). But it's irrelevant for this discussion. The question is, were you there when the innocent people (read carefully, I'm not referring to the terrorists) were shot execution style by government people? If you were, then based on your tirade I believe you could have been the one pulling the trigger... but I think you were not there and therefore you have no basis for arguing what happened late 90's with saying "we were there".

Regarding my math skills, if you read carefully you'll see I just calculated the years of Fuji you have experienced yourself. And I think that calculation is quit accurate. And as far as my or your math skills are concerned, I'm still waiting for your proof of the other calculation you said I did wrong...

# mericorps says :
13 March, 2009 [ 00:55 ]

noname,

Rene has issues with my style, and I find it funny you think we are the same....but again facts and hysteria are all the same to you.

The more you write, the less I need to respond, you hang yourself.

# noname says :
13 March, 2009 [ 01:15 ]

blah! blah! blah! Rene.... Blah! blah! and blah some more...

the more I read your posts... the more dissappointed I get and believe it or not... I did respect you at  first... but then later on I started to notice that you are one of those people that know "no wrong" (they think)... they feel they know AND OWN the truth.. you turn out to be just plain boring... so if you've ever wondered why I left your blah blah blah-ing on a prior post... well, there you have the answer now.

I have totally proved you wrong on three of four points from your prior post, but you would never acknoledge it, is just not on your flesh to be wrong. but here I go again.

First of all, I said you and mericorps seemed to be the same person because I asked mericorps to tell me why I am lying ... then you showed up as if was her/he ... so there!

Next, the "us" and the "we" are part of the same sentence.. so go back and check with your grammar book and find out what that means.... I would tell you but you would say I am wrong.

Lastly, the question is whether I was there when that people was killed by the colima group? yes! I told you I left the country on 93 and the killings were on 91 and 92... which part don't you understand???  my question to you now is, was mericorps living in Peru by then? or better yet, since you like to butt in someone else's discussion... were you living in Peru back in those years of terror???

Look, this arguement between mericorps and I is nothing new, she/he has heard it ALL from me, MANY TIMES!!! the only thing she/he does is saying that Fuji killed those poor kids...  and I have already told mericorps that La Cantuta was back then a boot camp for the shinning path... and there were others like UNI and UNMSM... people knew it all along... and I am not going to repeat myself for a hundred times... those "poor innocent kids" were not so innocent... and if you want to rule me out saying that I am not entitled to express my opinion just because I was not who pulled the trigger... then tell me something, was mericorps there to watch Fuji pulling the trigger??? or were you???

# noname says :
13 March, 2009 [ 01:19 ]

mericorps...

I wouldn't expect you to respond... I know you have ran out of phrases, you only had 5 and they had grown old already.

# Rene says :
13 March, 2009 [ 02:42 ]

Mericorps

From what did you conclude "Rene has issues with my style"?

Cheers,
Rene

# Rene says :
13 March, 2009 [ 03:19 ]

noname, let me bore you a bit more...

"that you are one of those people that know "no wrong" (they think)..." funny, I thought exactly the same of you after the many times you claimed to know the truth about anything...

"I did respect you at  first" well, that respect you seem to have lost a long time ago already when you started attacking my person. this is nothing new, and I think the only ones you respect are the ones that agree with you. but I don't mind, I don't need you as my friend and I will defend the freedom of speech in opposition to your attempt to silence every opposing opinion.

"so if you've ever wondered why I left your blah blah blah-ing on a prior post... well, there you have the answer now."
You don't believe that yourself, do you? In that case I think you realised I was right and you were too proud to admit...

In the case here, I looked up a bit more about the killings and they were indeed reported to be in the period you indicated. I didn't realise that, I thought that was later. I admit I was wrong on that. See, that isn't that hard... For the rest, you have not proven me wrong on anything. But there's no point in further arguing on that, since you will never admit that my points make sense since you are the beholder of the truth. Right?

About the innocents or non-innocents, since neither one of us was there at the spot, neither one of us can judge them. But since I'm a believer in the international human right of innocent until proven guilty, even in cases or terrorists, I'd say they should have been taken to court. That's my opinion...

# rice and sugar says :
13 March, 2009 [ 15:32 ]

Fujimori is the best president Peru has had in the past 50-100 years...even he is unfairly convicted -without direct evidence-...this man loved Peru, and worked hard to get Peruvian economy back on its feet. He worked hard to get rid of terrucos...

All the rest is just blah...blah..blah..blah

# noname says :
13 March, 2009 [ 16:15 ]

rice,

some people can really be so plain stupid not to realize that the only reason Fuji is where he is right now (trial/jail) is because that is the only way APRA, TOLEDO, HUMALA and others can keep him from going back to being president. They know perfectly well that if it wasn't for this whole human rights dust cloud... he would be seating in Palacio instead of Garcia Perez...  Foreigners can say anything they want... but truth is that WE Peruvians know that Fujimori "semi-dictator" style government is what Peru needs in order to move forward.
Instead, we now have the RATAS from Apra filling up their bags and having a big party on the country's expenses... TOTAL CORRUPTION!!! why would they want Fuji to be free? they couldn't rob as much as they are robbing right now. no way!

# Jose Lopez says :
14 March, 2009 [ 05:35 ]

As I read the forum about this topic, I'm listening the defense mounted by Mr. Nakasaki (youtube).

It is as stated above, that he trial currently is about wether or not Fujimori is Politically responsible and thus guilty of the masacre of La Cantuta, (and Barrios ALtos?). Nothing else.

And there is a point here to have very clear, Fujimori has been declared guilty already by the peruvian media, and human right watchs.

It is like the Inquisition days, do not defend Fuji, you may be guilty by association. Few people stand up, and point the obvious.

When Fujimori was elected, Peru was in the border of self-destruction by inaction and incompetence, think of Zimbabwe! plus Irak, Afganistan and global recession all into one!!! it felt bad!!. For a young man like me (22 then), studying Electrical Engineering at UNI we had to do something, my peers felt the same way. It wasnt populism, money or influence that put Fuji on power instead of Vargas Llosa, it was US!! peruvians tired of traditional politicians or their accolades , doing nothing to stop the bleeding, indifference to the masacres in the small towns far away from Lima, the lack of hope, etc. Few ocassions in our history we have been in a worse situation, the spanish conquest and the aftermath of the war in 1879. 

Fujimori took decisions to fix these problems, all of them, as best as he could, it is sitting accused for the killings of alleged and suspected terrorists, and associates. All I have to say is, hes innocent, and we are guilty, guilty to have even thought that we'll do whatever it takes to get rid of those problems. Guilty of looking for someone to take the blame. guilty for letting an innocent take the blame the country deserves, guilty of not standing up, and say that however unjust it was for all people to die!, that the loss of those people (involved direct or indirect in terrorist acts) in la cantuta, perhaps sent a message to others and accelerated the end of terrorism in our country. We are guilty of that, not FUji, we elected him, we supported all. WE as a democratic country are responsible!! we say not to the traditional politicians, do not take your wrath on Fuji, traditional politicians, traditional media, journos, judges, oligarchs of this country, WE are the ones, that gave you the back, and chose him to fix the problems, BLAME us! because we got tired of your indiference of your lack of care.

# noname says :
14 March, 2009 [ 14:09 ]

VERY WELL SAID! JOSE.

Maybe after reading the above post, some of the LIP readers will have a better understanding of what the words "US" and "WE" mean... 

# mericorps says :
14 March, 2009 [ 15:06 ]

Jose, you must have a very low opinion of Peru to think that terrorist can be faught without actually becoming a terrorist yourself.

Fujimori did a damn good job until he joined Montesinos and then he went wrong.  It was at that point he went from being a great president to being a criminal, and criminals need to pay for their crimes.

# noname says :
14 March, 2009 [ 15:35 ]

more blah blah blah from mericorps...  like we say in Peru... you are as lost as an egg on a cebiche plate.

# noname says :
14 March, 2009 [ 15:56 ]

for some people who can't see the big picture... I will shrink it down hoping that they can see it better.

there is this neighborghood in an "X" city where there had been several attacks to random citizens, mostly women but also children... the attacker uses this dark ally to commit his crimes, where he rapes and kills his innocent victims with no mercy, believe it or not, this rapist/murderer has gone for a while without getting caught and now his victims add up to 35 total, 28 adult women and 5 teenagers and 2 children... everyone is very concerned.... very afraid... TERRORIZED!

One day, there are rumors... they found a body of an adult male inside a black plastic bag... his body shows signs of a very cruel dead, his hands had been amputated, his eyes removed and other stuff that I won't described in here.  There was a letter with the body that identifies the body as the killer of the ally...

The police can't find anything else.... no ones knows who did it, the entire town wonders about who might have done it...  but ever since that day there are not more kilings... days and days go by and not one more killing... the city goes back to normal after a short time.

Now, I am sure mericorps would want to find out who did it and put him in jail... I am sure mericorps would want to fight for the killer's human rights... but in town? no one cares, they are happy the killer is gone and they can walk the streets late nite without worries... END OF THE STORY!

# Jose Lopez says :
14 March, 2009 [ 16:18 ]

I dont think that terrorism can be fought with terrorism, (like shoot first and ask later) and the reason is it didnt work in Peru or anywhere else, I would reccommend if I may, to read a book called the Peru Reader, read the chapter (Vietnam in the Andes).

It didnt work when Peruvian government applied a coverted dirty war under the governments of Belaunde and Alan Garcia. It is from these periods that the greatest human rights abuses come from (as stated by the CVR report, and documneted in one of the annexes,2 or 3?). 

It is tragic the media and politicians today do not talk of the experience that worked: a double approach of being frontal and resolute against terrorism/insurgency AND remove the causes of the insurgency.

That is the experience as I remember, that is the experience 13 mill.peruvians living in the Andes remember.

If they would talk about it Perus experience would benefit the world.

It is from these period, that most of the roads used in Peru today come from, either new or refurbished the Army might was used not only to crush terrorists, but to build roads, medical posts, schools (the greatest qty of schools ever built in Peru), acueducts, water ponds, etc.

Mind you, most of the early work was crap (;-), because the Army didnt have experience building or repairing roads, but it soon learnt to build rather than destroy. To protect the defenseless rather than blame them for protecting terrucos. It was also because the government empowered the communities  for self-defense, the ancient inca rooted comuneros were fully supported to ensure law and order were the government was absent. That plus the support to organisations like the evangelist church, that brought hope and the word of the lord, (were was the catholic church then? mind you I'm catholic!!.

Not, Fujimori didnt pacify the country by the means of a dirty war, and commiting human rights abuses, to accept that premise is also to accept that anybody else could have fixed fighting dirty then. In this media trial, we have lost the value of the lesson, a lesson that can be applied today at VRAE (I'm glad it is now being applied!!).

And thus in that logic it becomes easy then to excuse previous governments of incompetence it also absolve the traditional powers (media, judges, politicians), of ownership and responsibility.

Because to admit that Fujimori "fixed" the problems fair and square, is to admit that he was better than them, Them? yes them, the traditional self appointed owners of this country. And that will be political suicide, they may fear another 10 years of Fuji? No, this is about politics, not justice, not about human rights, that is the banner they use now to keep him from power. Once this is done, they will give a damn about human rights. They will work around to cover themselves from any charge of human rights.

It is almost sad and bitter, the only president (asides Velazco Alvarado) that did fight for the human rights of the millions of peasants in our Andes is being judged and trialed by those who didnt!! And those that now enjoy the freedom, peace, security, and hope he brought, now use it to deny him those rights. I seek to expose my views, and to learn, I believe these are turning times, and also believe at heart, that truth will prevail, you cannot cover the sun with your hands, you cannot cover the works he did without destroying them. Fuji is not perfect at all, but surely history will judged him as one of the best presidents we ever had, there, together with Castilla!! A president that rallied us to victory out of the chaos and darkness of our civil war!!

# Jose Lopez says :
14 March, 2009 [ 16:35 ]

If I may add (without boring you), we struggle out of this problem with the help of "few" friends, mainly Japan, not the US sadly! not Europe very sadly, why? I believe they may have been deluded to think there was not poblem by their traditional "friends" in this country.

Remember that we were an economic pariah in the eyes of the IMF (thanks to Garcia), the world wasnt interested on US, just like they are not interested ("really") in Zimbabwe, or Sudan, our so called neighbours here in LatinAmerica, look with so much arrogance that Fuji was elected (dangerous trend?eh?), we were alone friends!! We had all against us, I truly believe, the country was in the path to extinction, our weakness so obvious I expected neighbours will invade us, and take more land again.

The very friends I see now coming to our country, were not coming then, because their governements told them it was too dangerous!!

the ONGs that now are everywhere, were allowed in the 90's!!

Hindsight is easier than foresight. And foresight is what we most desperately need.

# rice and sugar says :
16 March, 2009 [ 10:31 ]

LIP..I'm a bit dissapointed with your journalistic integrity...Why haven't you posted the latest Angus-Reid polls on Keiko Fujimori?? FromTaiwan to the US, the world posts unbiased analysis on the Fujimori case: both sides - "guilty" or "not guilty".
LIP you have proved to be a biased "news" sort of "agency". Manipulated truths. I am not asking you to support either cause, but I think Nagasaki is right in his accusation the the "media has already condemned Fujimori". LIP seems to be included there.

Where did you guys get your journalism degrees and credentials???

# rice and sugar says :
16 March, 2009 [ 10:35 ]

Jose and No name...don't even dare to "reason" "logically" with the sort of -pardon me- anal arguments posted by Mericorps...blah, blah, blah...what the heck does he-she know?

# Ben Jonjak says :
16 March, 2009 [ 19:28 ]

Living in Peru has absolutely no opinion and will leave that
decision to the court to either charge not guilty or guilty. If we are
missing any news, our readers are welcome to submit additional news and suggestions to editor@livinginperu.com.

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