Peruvian President receives relatives of Alberto Fujimori victims

At a meeting at the Government Palace, the president heard the indignant criticism of the parents, siblings, and children killed by an illegal extermination squad dedicated to killing or hiding suspects in armed actions under the Fujimori government.

Among the visitors was Gisela Ortiz, the sister of one of the 10 students who, along with a professor from La Cantoda University, were kidnapped, tortured, killed, burned and secretly buried.

Ortiz, who recently served as Minister of Culture in the Castillo government, said relatives have an inalienable right to justice and called it illegal the NTC ruling that re-established Fujimori’s 2017 amnesty decree.

This pardon was granted by then-President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and rescinded after its illegality was verified by the Supreme Court, although the Supreme Court appealed a technical complaint—that the criminal judge has no hierarchy to revoke the pardon—to restore it.

Ortiz alluded to the TC by denouncing the existence of fragile institutions in Peru that make decisions that violate everyone’s rights for individual benefit and demanded that the government take action against the ruling because it is unfair that the bereaved’s 30-year struggle ends in vain.

“It is unfair that this outrage does not allow even those who have spent 30 years of struggle and suffering and struggle for justice to age in peace,” said left-wing congressman Guillermo Bermejo, who accompanied their relatives to the session.

On the other hand, Prime Minister Anibal Torres today compared Fujimori to Nazi Adolf Hitler, and called on the population to show solidarity with the relatives of the victims of the former president, who was sentenced to 25 years in prison for crimes against humanity and corruption.

Justice Minister Alejandro Salas, “in his capacity as a citizen and as a minister”, said the government was waiting to formally hear the arguments of the transitional court’s ruling and declared that no opinion could override human rights and that whatever existed could reverse the law.

Meanwhile, the head of the Transitional Council, Augusto Ferrero – whose vote broke the tie between three judges in favor and three against the ruling – admitted that the ruling could be appealed to international bodies, as human rights organizations have done.

Former Prime Minister and pro-government parliamentarian, Guido Peledo, rejected the NTC’s decision, which he described as unfortunate and should spur reform of the way constitutional judges, currently appointed by Parliament, are elected.

Jha / Mrs