AP Interview: Fujimori Vows Comeback

AP on Yahoo ^ | 5/20/06 | Eduardo Gallardo -ap

[NormsRevenge]

SANTIAGO, Chile - Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, freed on bail after more than six months in a Chilean jail, said Saturday that his political movement is still strong in Peru and promised a political comeback.

In an interview with The Associated Press two days after being freed on bail by Chile's Supreme Court, the 67-year-old former ruler refused to say which candidate he supports in Peru's June 4 runoff election pitting former President Alan Garcia, a moderate leftist, against nationalist former army officer Ollanta Humala.

He said, however, that "Fujimorismo", as he calls his movement, will soon take a decisive stance with respect to the runoff.

"Fujimori is alive and strong, strengthened" in Peru, said Fujimori, whose decade-long autocratic regime collapsed amid corruption scandals in 2000.

He said an announcement on Peru's impending election would be made by his daughter Keiko, who was elected to Peru's Congress earlier this year with more votes than any other congressional candidate.

Speaking at a rented house at the upper-class Las Condes neighborhood in Santiago, Fujimori repeated his "total rejection" of corruption and human rights abuses charges filed against him by the Peruvian government in an extradition request.

Peru has filed 12 formal charges against Fujimori, including sanctioning a paramilitary death squad, illegal phone tapping, diverting public funds and bribing legislators.

But Fujimori added that he takes political responsibility for what happened during his 1990-2000 government that led a ruthless crackdown against Maoist Shining Path rebels.

"And I am paying an extremely high price for that," he said. "I had to live in Japan for five years, I spent more than six months in jail" in Chile.

Fujimori fled Peru in 2000 as his government gave out from the corruption scandals. He resigned the presidency via fax from Japan.

To everyone's surprise, he arrived in Chile on Nov. 6 in a private plane to begin an apparent comeback bid in neighboring Peru. Hours later he was arrested at the request of the Peruvian government. He was released on bail Thursday.

Fujimori said he will go back to Peru "in due time, but I cannot disclose my future steps." He said he could seek the presidency again within five years.

He insisted he does not feel the Peruvian courts can guarantee a fair trial if he returned now.

[NormsRevenge]

Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori smiles at his residence in uptown Santiago, Chile, Saturday, May 20, 2006, during an interview with The Associated Press. Fujimori said Friday he refuses to appear before the courts in Peru because he lacks confidence in its justice system. One day after being freed on bail by Chile's Supreme Court, Fujimori vehemently denied the corruption and human rights charges filed against him by the Peruvian government in its request to Chile for its extradition. (AP Photo/Roberto Candia)