Alberto Fujimori, the former president of Peru, passed away at the age of 86 in Lima.
Alberto Fujimori, Former Peruvian President, Dies at 86
Alberto Fujimori, the former president of Peru, passed away at the age of 86 in Lima, following a long battle with cancer. His death marks the end of a controversial and polarizing legacy in Peruvian politics.
Alberto Kenya Fujimori Inomoto was a Peruvian former politician, professor, and engineer who served as President of Peru from 1990 to 2000. Fujimori, a Peruvian of Japanese descent, was an agricultural engineer and university rector before entering politics. Wikipedia
Born: 28 July 1938, Lima, Peru
Died: 11 September 2024 (age 86 years)
Education: University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (1969), MORE
Party: Sí Cumple
Presidential term: 28 July 1990 – 21 November 2000
Spouse: Satomi Kataoka (m. 2006), Susana Higuchi (m. 1974–1994)
Children: Keiko Fujimori, Kenji Fujimori, Sachi Marcela Fujimori, Hiro Alberto
Alberto Fujimori, Ex-Leader of Peru, Dies at 86
Introduction Alberto Fujimori, former president of Peru and one of its most divisive political figures, passed away at the age of 86 in Lima on September 12, 2024. His death was confirmed by his children, who stated that he succumbed to cancer after a long battle. Fujimori’s legacy remains highly contentious, as his decade-long presidency left a profound mark on the nation’s history.
Fujimori’s Rise to Power Born to Japanese immigrants, Fujimori emerged from relative obscurity as a university professor to win Peru’s presidential election in 1990. At the time, the country was in the grip of economic turmoil and the violent insurgency of the Maoist rebel group, the Shining Path. His administration implemented neoliberal economic policies that restored fiscal stability and orchestrated a military-led crackdown on guerrilla movements, which garnered him widespread support.
Autocratic Rule and Human Rights Abuses However, Fujimori’s administration was marred by accusations of authoritarianism and human rights violations. In 1992, he dissolved Congress and assumed sweeping powers, a move that led to increased military control and gross abuses of human rights. His government was implicated in extrajudicial killings, forced disappearances, and a controversial sterilization program targeting indigenous women.
Downfall and Imprisonment Fujimori’s rule ended abruptly in 2000 amid a massive corruption scandal involving his right-hand man, Vladimiro Montesinos. He fled to Japan but was later arrested in Chile and extradited to Peru in 2007. He was sentenced to 25 years in prison for corruption and human rights abuses, including the involvement in two massacres by death squads during his tenure.
Release and Final Years After serving more than 15 years of his sentence, Fujimori was released in 2021 on humanitarian grounds due to his failing health. Despite his crimes, he remained a polarizing figure, with many of his supporters viewing him as the man who saved Peru from economic collapse and insurgency. His daughter, Keiko Fujimori, has continued his political legacy, leading Peru’s largest political party and vowing to run for president in 2026(
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Conclusion Alberto Fujimori’s death closes a controversial chapter in Peruvian history. While he is praised by some for his economic reforms and defeat of insurgent groups, others continue to condemn his authoritarian rule and the human rights atrocities committed during his presidency. His complex legacy will undoubtedly fuel political debate in Peru for years to come.
Rise to Power
Fujimori, of Japanese descent, unexpectedly won the 1990 Peruvian presidential elections. A university president and mathematics professor, he quickly transformed from a political outsider into a leader praised for stabilizing the country’s economy and quelling the violent insurgencies of groups like the Shining Path. His administration implemented neoliberal reforms, privatizing state industries and controlling hyperinflation, which initially garnered widespread support.
Controversies and Human Rights Abuses
However, Fujimori’s presidency became increasingly autocratic. In 1992, he dissolved the Peruvian Congress and judiciary in what is often referred to as a “self-coup.” His government was later implicated in significant human rights abuses, including extrajudicial killings and forced sterilizations of indigenous women. Fujimori’s military-backed regime gave unchecked power to the armed forces, leading to numerous atrocities committed under his rule.
Fall from Grace and Imprisonment
In 2000, Fujimori’s regime collapsed under a cloud of corruption scandals, leading him to flee to Japan. In 2007, he was arrested in Chile and extradited to Peru, where he was sentenced to 25 years in prison for ordering the killings of 25 civilians by army death squads. Despite being granted a brief presidential pardon in 2017, it was later revoked. In late 2022, Fujimori was released on humanitarian grounds after serving two-thirds of his sentence.
Legacy and Family
Fujimori remains a deeply divisive figure in Peru. His daughter, Keiko Fujimori, has been a prominent political figure in her own right, even running for the presidency multiple times. In July 2024, she had announced her father’s intention to run for the presidency again in 2026, despite legal challenges preventing his candidacy.
Fujimori’s death brings closure to a tumultuous chapter in Peruvian politics, leaving behind a complex legacy of economic reforms overshadowed by widespread human rights violations(
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