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A12 WORLD NEWS
Thursday 30 January 2020
Mexican president promises no

return of criminal defamation

MEXICO CITY (AP) — silence or harass journalists. the right to dissent.”
Mexico President Andrés “I don’t have anything to Earlier this month, the Inter-
Manuel López Obrador do with the supposed re- American Press Society
said Wednesday he would form,” the president said, expressed concern about
denounce any proposed noting that the Attorney reforms “that would turn
legal reforms that would General’s Office is an au- defamation into a crimi-
bring back criminal defa- tonomous entity. nal offense, returning the
mation statutes or other But any legal reform would country to an environment
laws that would impinge on have to go through Mex- where journalists could go
the freedom of expression. ico’s congress, which is to jail for exercising their In this Nov. 29, 2019 file photo, Mexican President Andres Manuel
López Obrador’s com- controlled by López Obra- right to inform, criticize or Lopez Obrador listens to questions during his daily morning press
ments came in response dor’s allies. comment.” conference at the National Palace in Mexico City.
to questioning from Denise López Obrador promised to Mexico had decriminalized Associated Press
Dresser, a well-known Mexi- not only not support such defamation in 2007.
can journalist, who pressed reforms, but to denounce Dresser raised the question as part of a lawsuit by for- tional Revolutionary Party
him to respond to leaked it. after noting that a Mexico mer Coahuila state Gov. chief. Moreira resigned as
documents from the At- “Of course, by conviction,” City judge had ordered Humberto Moreira. Moreira party leader when it was
torney General’s Office. he said. “We have the co- journalist Sergio Aguayo sued him over a 2016 article revealed that the Coahuila
The working documents mittment to guarantee to pay $24,000 (450,000 that reported on Moreira’s state debt rose from $27
suggested a series of mea- freedom of expression, of pesos) Tuesday to head alleged corruption. million to nearly $3 billion
sures that could be used to the manifestation of ideas, off the seizure of his assets Moreira is the former Institu- during his tenure.q
AP Explains: The arrest of Peru powerbroker Keiko Fujimori

By M.RUEDA/ F.BRICENO warrants for their alleged
Associated Press dealings with Odebrecht.
LIMA, Peru (AP) — A Pe- One former president hid in
ruvian judge on Tuesday the United States, was cap-
ruled that opposition lead- tured and is now awaiting
er Keiko Fujimori must be extradition. Another former
held in prison for 15 months president committed sui-
while she is investigated for cide at his home in Lima as
possible money launder- police officers got ready to
ing. Fujimori is an influential arrest him. Peru’s current
power broker in the Ande- President Martin Vizcarra
an nation and is accused dissolved the nation’s con-
of taking money from Bra- gress last year after par-
zilian construction giant liamentarians refused to
Odebrecht. She says she back his anti-corruption
is innocent. Here are more measures.
details on her case. WHAT HAPPENS NOW?
WHO IS KEIKO FUJIMORI? In this handout photo provided by Peru's Palace of Justice Press Office, Keiko Fujimori, the Fujimori will have to pre-
Fujimori is a two-time presi- daughter of Peru's former President Alberto Fujimori and opposition leader, center, is escorted pare her defense from be-
dential candidate and by police inside the courtroom in Lima, Peru, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2020. hind prison bars, and face
heir to one of the country’s Associated Press a lengthy trial. Meanwhile
most powerful political dy- $800 million in bribes to pol- ruled that Fujimori should ecutors went back to the her political influence is
nasties. Her father Alberto iticians in a dozen coun- be jailed while prosecu- courts with new evidence diminishing. In Sunday’s
Fujimori was president in tries. Facing impeachment tors investigated her, ar- of her alleged dealings election Popular Force
the 1990s and still divides and little support in con- guing that she could flee with Odebrecht. On Tues- only gained 12 seats in Pe-
public opinion in Peru. gress, Kuczynski resigned in the country if she was not day, Judge Victor Zuñiga ru’s 130 member congress.
Keiko Fujimori lost the 2016 2018. placed in custody. That ruled that Fujimori should Previously the party held
presidential election by WHAT IS SHE ACCUSED OF? sentence was overturned return to prison because 72 seats.
less than 1% of the vote Prosecutors maintain that last year by a high court, there is probable likelihood The party has been deeply
but her party, Popular Fujimori took more than a which said her human that she was involved in divided since 2018, when
Force, gained a com- million dollars from Ode- rights had been violated money laundering and be- Keiko Fujimori’s brother,
manding majority of seats brecht herself, for her 2011 and that she could not be cause she could still evade congressman Kenji Fuji-
in the nation’s congress, and 2016 presidential imprisoned if she hadn’t justice by escaping from mori, was expelled from its
which it later used to start campaigns, violating the been found guilty of a Peru. ranks. Their father, Alberto
impeachment proceed- nation’s laws. Prosecutors crime. WHY IS HER ARREST IMPOR- Fujimori was condemned
ings against then-President also accuse Fujimori of hid- While Fujimori was in pris- TANT? to 25 years in prison for
Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. ing the money through a on, her American husband Fujimori’s arrest is part of committing human rights
Popular Force obtained complex network of doz- held a two-week long hun- a broader crackdown on abuses. But many Peruvi-
documents that showed ens of frontmen. Fujimori ger strike to demand her corruption that Peruvian ans still praise the elder Fu-
Kucyznski had owned a claims she is innocent and freedom. prosecutors have been jimori, arguing that he fixed
consulting firm that took is being persecuted by ri- WHY IS SHE GOING BACK waging for years. a broken economy and
hefty sums from the Brazil- vals who want to destroy TO PRISON? Over the past decade four defeated guerrilla groups
ian company, which has her political movement. In After Fujimori was freed former Peruvian presidents that terrorized the country
acknowledged paying out October of 2018, a judge from prison last year, pros- have been issued arrest in the 1990s.q