Alberto Fujimori, former President of Peru, has died following a prolonged battle with tongue cancer.
Fujimori, who ruled Peru from 1990 to 2000 and later spent 16 years in prison for crimes against humanity, died at the age of 86.
His family confirmed his death in the capital Lima on Wednesday.
“After a long battle with cancer, our father, Alberto Fujimori, has just departed to meet the Lord,” his children Keiko, Hiro, Sachie, and Kenji Fujimori wrote on social media.
Fujimori was released from prison on humanitarian grounds in December 2023 after serving the majority of his 25-year sentence for human rights violations.
His crimes stemmed from his government’s brutal campaign against leftist rebel groups, including the Shining Path and Tupac Amaru.
This conflict left over 69,000 people dead or missing between 1980 and 2000, many of them civilians.
Keiko Fujimori, his daughter and a prominent politician, announced that his wake would begin on Thursday at the National Museum, with burial scheduled for Saturday.
“We are waiting for all those who want to say goodbye to him in person,” she wrote on social media.
In response to his death, the Peruvian government declared three days of national mourning, beginning Thursday. Fujimori will receive the honours of a president, according to an official decree.
Fujimori’s health had reportedly worsened following treatment for tongue cancer in August. He was last seen in public on Thursday when he left a Lima clinic after undergoing a CT scan.
During his presidency, Fujimori was both celebrated and reviled. His iron-fisted rule is credited with defeating the Shining Path guerrillas and stabilizing the Peruvian economy.
However, he was later convicted for overseeing death squad massacres in 1991 and 1992, where 25 people, including a child, were killed in anti-terror operations.
Fujimori’s legacy remains deeply divisive in Peru. His supporters have gathered outside his home, chanting, “El Chino did not die! El Chino is present!”
Meanwhile, critics recall his disregard for democratic institutions and human rights violations.
One of the most significant moments of his presidency was the Japanese embassy hostage crisis in 1996-1997, which ended with the rescue of nearly all 72 hostages and the deaths of 14 rebels.
Japan’s government expressed its gratitude for Fujimori’s role in that crisis, while also acknowledging the complexities of his legacy.
Fujimori’s later years were marred by corruption scandals, including those involving his intelligence chief Vladimiro Montesinos.
After fleeing to Japan in 2000, he resigned the presidency by fax before being arrested in Chile and extradited to Peru for trial.
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