Peru’s Fujimori Agrees to New Elections
L I M A, Peru, Oct. 25, 2000 -- As President Alberto Fujimori mounted amanhunt for his former spy agency chief, his government agreed tohold new elections on April 8, an Organization of American Statesnegotiator said.
On Wednesday, Fujimori ordered Peru’s armed forces confined tobarracks in an apparent move against former spy chief VladimirosMontesinos.
Cesar Gaviria, secretary-general of the Organization of AmericanStates, confirmed in a news conference that Fujimori’s governmentwas undertaking a special operation to capture Montesinos, whosereturn Monday from Panama thrust the country into politicalturmoil.
A top-level OAS delegation, meanwhile, coaxed Fujimori’sgovernment and his opponents back to the bargaining tableWednesday, hammering out an agreement to hold special elections onApril 8.
Freeze of Armed Forces
Justice Minister Alberto Bustamante said the government hadwithdrawn its demand that new elections be contingent on a broadamnesty for military and civilian officials accused of human rightsabuses stemming from Peru’s battle with leftist guerrillas and drugtraffickers.
Earlier, Fujimori said he had ordered a “complete freeze” ofthe armed forces. He did not elaborate.
But he made the statement after leading a convoy of vehiclescarrying members of an elite police force to an army officers clubin the resort town of Chaclacayo, located in the foothills of theAndes, 22 miles east of Lima.
Montesinos has not been seen publicly since his return to Perufrom Panama on Monday after a failed asylum bid.
Indications that Montesinos is on the losing side of a powerstruggle for control of the armed forces were increasingly evidentWednesday.
Radio and newspapers reported that four Montesinos loyalists inthe army had been detained Monday on Fujimori’s orders.
A senior U.S. official who has been involved with the unfoldingcrisis said Fujimori is removing people who are more loyal toMontesinos than to him.
The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Fujimoriis clearly in charge and has the support of the military.
Montesinos’ return to Peru precipitated a breakdown in theOAS-mediated talks amid allegations that the government was tryingto grant amnesty for the spy chief and his cronies in the militaryas a condition for new elections.
Protesters Call for Fujimori ResignationAbout 100 protesters gathered outside the hotel where Gaviriaand both sides were meeting and piled up garbage bags imprintedwith mugshot images of a smiling Fujimori and a grim-facedMontesinos dressed in cartoon-like prison stripes.
Fujimori announced in September that he would step down nextyear, four years ahead of schedule, after a leaked videotape showedMontesinos apparently bribing an opposition lawmaker. Fujimoripromised new elections would be held and he would not be acandidate.
Fujimori has steadfastly rejected opposition demands that hequit now, insisting he — not Montesinos — controls the military — akey issue in the stalled negotiations.
The opposition has been calling for Fujimori’s resignation,saying he is not in control and charging that he has beenbacktracking on democratic reforms needed for new elections.