Peru news

Well, a couple of good news stories to report from Peru:

Firstly, president Ollanta Humala decided not to issue a pardon on humanitarian grounds to former president Alberto Fujimori, who will continue to serve his jail sentence for human rights abuses. Humala had been advised by a committee which decided that Fujimori was not suffering from a terminal illness. Indeed, it also found Fujimori was not suffering from a severe physical illness or severe and incurable pychological illness either.

Fujimori is said to be "frustrated" by the decision. I would have been pretty frustrated if someone responsible for numerous murders had got out of prison by faking a terminal illness, so there we go.

Presidente Ollanta Humala decidió no indultar a Alberto Fujimori (El Comercio)
 Las 10 frases que dejó Humala al explicar por qué no indultó a Fujimori (El Comercio)
Alberto Fujimori tomó “con bastante frustración” negativa de indulto (El Comercio)
Peru: Ex-President Is Denied a Pardon (NY Times)
Peru's ex president Alberto Fujimori is denied pardon (BBC)

Meanwhile, Shining Path leader Artemio (Florindo Eleuterio Flores Hala) has been sentenced to life imprisonment for terrorism offences, drug smuggling and money laundering, and ordered to pay reparations of 500 million soles. He will be held in the naval base at Callao, alongside his boss, Abimael Guzmán.

Earlier this week, Artemio wept as he told the court he had "nothing to be sorry for" and said that he would prefer death to life in jail. There is no doubt that he was in the top ranks of a ruthless organisation which slaughtered anyone opposed to it or those who just got in the way (he even gave an interview in which he described the massacre of Lucanamarca, when 69 people died, as a "mistake"). Life imprisonment seems exactly the right result.

So all in all, thumbs up to Peru on both counts.


Terrorista 'Artemio' fue condenado a cadena perpetua y deberá pagar S/. 500 millones (El Comercio)
‘Artemio’ en alegato final: "Prefiero la muerte antes que cadena perpetua" (El Comercio)
Life Sentence for Shining Path Leader (NY Times)
Peru's Shining Path leader jailed for life for terrorism (BBC - great picture in this one of Flores Hala in typical pose, mirroring Guzmán in court)