Weekly Debate: Should Fujimori be allowed to run for president in Peru?
Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, who fled from the country in 2000 after a corruption scandal, returned to Latin America earlier this year only to be arrested in Chile. He has been trying to run for next April's presidential elections since he launched his 'Si Cumple' party from Tokyo, despite a Congressional decision that bars him from running until 2010. According to Angus Reid, 45% of Peruvians approve of his performance as president, and though he is under investigation for corruption and human rights abuses, he has not been tried. Should lawmakers change their decision to ban him from office until he is convicted of a crime?
Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, who fled from the country in 2000 after a corruption scandal, returned to Latin America earlier this year only to be arrested in Chile. He has been trying to run for next April's presidential elections since he launched his 'Si Cumple' party from Tokyo, despite a Congressional decision that bars him from running until 2010. According to Angus Reid, 45% of Peruvians approve of his performance as president, and though he is under investigation for corruption and human rights abuses, he has not been tried. Should lawmakers change their decision to ban him from office until he is convicted of a crime?
Alberto Fujimori reflects an example of the dangers that have lurked in South America. "Caudillos" with promises who try to increase their personal power hold.
ReplyDeleteFujimori had many promises to the people of Peru. He finished up "Sendero Luminoso" but used a heavy repressive force with the mind that it's all worth it.
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Like Chavez he directed more spending toward urban poor and the provinces and dealt blows with the Peruvian Elite.
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Fujimori also took extreme measure during his presidency to change laws to his pleasing, Something Hugo Chavez is currently doing.
He used the military in '92 to suspend the constitution and dissolve parliament. He was then able to place people in the right spots to go ahead with his weeping reforms.
He introduced a single Chamber COngress.
After elected to a second term, he changes the constitution to be able to get elected a third consecutive time.
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He wins the third elections amid calls of fraud, the OAS will not back the election results and in the meantime a tape appears with Vladimir Montesinos his HEAD of secret police offering bribes for political points.
He makes it to Japan and it;s all history.
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Fujimori should be taken to a court of law and face the crimes he has committed. If Peru's judicial system fails to take Fujimori's to court and win a case, it's just one more prove of the corrupt governments that we have in Latin America. Not just the Gov. but the institution themselves lacking the strength needed to carry forth.
If Fujimori ever finds himself in the Presidential seat and the Peruvian people find themselves being ruled by an oppressor, I feel that it would be their personal responsibility.
Latin America should learn from their experience before electing demaguoges with empty promises.
As much of a scumbag as Fujimori is, I think there might be a case for him to campaign, even if only to see him lose by a long shot. Has he been formally indicted yet?
ReplyDeleteHe hasnt been formaly indicted.
ReplyDeleteThat's a result of the weak institutions by the state. If I committed a crime, I am still a criminal indicted or not.
That's the issue in lots of these countries were as a result of personal fame, friendships, etc etc. the law falls on the side of people with power and crimes are never resolved but left to the test of time to be forgotten.
Hey It's up to Peru though. They might want him back again.
Yeah, but "frpl" do your comments regarding "demaguoges" and the other negative attributes you mentioned apply to American political leaders as well?
ReplyDeleteAnd add to that the fact that Fujimori has retained favoured personage status in the U.S. State Dept.
I have a very low opinion of Fujimori, but until/unless he is convicted, my personal belief is that he should have the same rights as any other citizen of Peru.
ReplyDeleteBut like some of you have already said, that is up to the people of Peru.
Hey, hello to you all! I’m an expatriate Peruvian living in Japan, but I came here two years after Fujimori’s resignation so I still remember most of what happened there...
ReplyDeleteGuilty or not, he (and some other 200 people) has been banned by the Congress to assume any public position until year 2010, and this decision should be respected. So he shouldn’t been allowed to run for the presidency again until then, at least if we want to send clear signals to everybody that the laws aren’t easily changed by political (meaning electoral) reasons.
On the other side, Peru is way too much polarized now (people who love Fujimori and people who hate him), and even if he’s allowed to run for presidency and wins the elections, his decisions would be accepted by no more than 30% of the population (since 70% thinks he’s guilty)… It would be a mess…
Finally, even though the laws permit it, I don’t think Peru should allow any person to be president for more than two periods. Our history shows that after 10 or 15 years most of the people don’t remember what was like having anyone as president. See Alan García, by the end of his presidency he had no more than 10% approval rating, and more than 60% of the people thought he was guilty of embezzlement and criminis lessa humanidad, but 10 years later he almost wins the presidency again against Toledo, and now he's candidate again for next year's election... Yes, we have a very short-span memory... And yes, despite everything that happened, Fujimori could be president again...
I don't know enough about the Peruvian system to say whether any election Fujimori ran in would be a fair (i.e not rigged) one. As long as a reasonably free and fair election is held though, and as long as he has not actually been convicted of corruption then he I think he has to be allowed to stand and if elected take power.
ReplyDeleteDemocracy doesnt necessarily mean electing the 'best' or most suitable people to do the job, it means the people choosing - even if the person they choose happens to be a crook.
Maybe its my socialist roots coming out, but it seems like most country's politicians are embroiled in corruption of some kind, the only difference being that some of Latin America's corrupt actually help the poor at the same time whereas in the US and Europe all major politicians seem to do is help the rich or big business while they're filling their own pockets.
HI Angryindian,
ReplyDeleteThe demaguoge term, at the moment I personally would not apply to anyone in U.S. politics. I am sure there are others that would think otherwise. I personally support the actions our current government is taking.
I agree with Giancarlo. I wasnt aware that he was politically incapacitated by Congress but I remind people again that we should learn from our History.
In Venezuela Hugo Chavez carried a bloody coup in 1992 and did not succeed. I lived in Venezuela at the time of the incident.
He was sent to prison, Chavez was pardon 3 years later and now he is in power.
In the U.S. if any military officer ever committed a coup we would surely spend the rest of his life in Prison and would never be able to hold a post as President.
It's refreshing that Steve prefaces his remarks with self-admitted ignorance about Peru's judicial and electoral systems (presumably, he would extend his status to most of the rest of Peru, if not Latin America, as well). I love the honesty of people who admit they're unqualified to make effective commentary.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I can't pass over Steve's temptation to make a wide-sweeping generality about governments, presumably non-socialist governments, to wit:
"Maybe its my socialist roots coming out, but . . . the only difference being [between Latin and U.S. & European governments] that some of Latin America's corrupt actually help the poor at the same time. . . ."
Steve, where did you acquire such an idea? Are you suggesting that some kinds of corrupt governance are better than others? Wow! If that isn't moral relativism at its best!
And surely you don't mean to suggest that "socialist governments" offer better hope of governance for the poor than other (capitalist) forms of government! If so, all you have to do is review ANY socialist government's performance (not referring to constitutional governments that from time to time opt to elect socialist/liberal functionaries). You can start with the idealist-communal in the 19th century to the worst "Noble Experiment," the U.S.S.R. (not to leave out Fidel's atrocious experiment).
As to Fujimori, I recall, from my perch in Central America, how fondly he was accepted by Peruvians and other Latins, for having rescued a devastated, imploding society. That he later succumbed to the truism, "Power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely," is unfortunate, but he DID finally suffer his "come-uppin's" when the citizens he was largely responsible for liberating threw him out of office. That's the power of a free people in action.
So let's give credit where credit is due, and if Caesar is to extract his pound of flesh from Fujimori, let Caesar do it without interference from all us armchair do-gooders.
Absolutely not. He should be in jail with Pinochet, Alfonso Portillo, all the perpetrators of operation Condor (the American supporters thrown in for good measure), Efrain Rios Montt and countless others guilty of stealing, killing and torturing.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me that part of the reason why Latin America can't advance is because they continually elect/appoint leaders who are known to be the scum of the earth.
This is TJB
ReplyDeleteI think this should be left up to the Peruvian people to decide whether Fujimori is allowed to run for the presidency again, notwithstanding the allegations of his corruption, for which he must be tried first. After all people get what they deserve...
So, Mr. Mariposa, tell us: Where did you acquire your authority to act as judge, jury, and executioner, in re the sovereign nation of Peru? And further, same question, in re your sweeping generalization about Latin America?
ReplyDeleteIt's precisely this kind of thinking that had led us (and others) in the past to meddle in the affairs of other countries, leading to unintended negative consequences and usually to the distinct detriment of all parties.
If you persist in this kind of self-appointed divine knowledge and imagined ability to judge countries, people, and their cultures, perhaps you should apply to augment the CIA's Latin American staff!
FYI: Even a superficial reading of the region's history will reveal that Fujimori wasn't in office (and probably not even in Peru) during the days of "Operation Condor." But after the CIA hires you, perhaps you'll be able to catch up on your reading.
BTW, do not visit Costa Rica while using the moniker "Mariposa," unless you wish to risk being set upon by insensitive Tico men who do not subscribe to "that" style of life.
mariposa:
ReplyDeleteYou don't have to just suppose that it is past dicators who abuse human rights. Just look at what we are setting ourselves up for in the United States. They now can search your house when you aren't home without telling you, they collect every single email you send on a government computer, and they can hold secret tribunals and keep even a U.S. citizen in indefinite detention without charges. We may think the U.S. is immune from this kind of stuff, but that is an arrogant outlook and it is a stretch to suppose that we will never have a President who will be tempted to abuse these powers.
Gee, Eli Blake! I didn't know the American Gestapo had usurped all our freedoms. I must have been dozing. (I'll bet you believe the Patriot Act did all that, don't you? That nasty John Ashcroft and that "fascist" George W. Bush did it, single-handedly!)
ReplyDeleteIf I were you, I'd pack your passport, your best sandals, plenty of "CHE LIVES" tee-shirts, a few bucks--and head on out, while the "gittin's good," to a country that'll take you. (Too bad Canada's in the process of throwing out their "progressive-socialist" government that earlier might have entertained your claim of refugee status.)
Suggestions: Why not try Azerbeijan, or Chechnya, or Iran?
Or better yet, try CUBA! Fidel will dig your Che tees. But get moving SOON, since "they" are probably monitoring this Blog Site as I write you this.
I am a Peruvian that remember very well Alan Garcia and Fujimori's goverments. I think that Fujimori must not be allow to run for the president in Peru.
ReplyDeleteI understand some people love him due to the recovery of Peru's economy and the (almost completely) elimination of the terrorism in Peru.
Other people hate him because lost their jobs during his goverment, and some cases of violation of Human Rights (some witness said he ordered these executions).
No matter the reasons, but my opinion is that Peruvians forget very fast about the mistakes of their president and/or congressmen (like Alan Garcia) but every person has a period and Fujimori's one ended.
I think Peruvians need a "new hope" and Fujimori's represent the past, not the future that Peru needs...
Grant:
ReplyDeleteIf you actually read my post instead of reading the word socialist then deciding for yourself what I said then you'll notice I was actually saying that ALL governments (including socialist ones) are corrupt, and none are necessarily better than each other.
My point was that if the Peruvian people want Fujimori then they should be allowed to have him: corrupt or not, since he's probably no more corrupt than the likes of Bush (or Clinton for that matter).
I'm not here to argue about the relative merits of political dogmas - thats not the topic here (if you really want to argue about socialism and capitalism then email me steve@bstea.org).