Page 12 - AT

A12 WORLD NEWS
Friday 29 November 2019
Peru's Fujimori will leave prison to new political landscape

By MAURICIO MUNOZ and outside the jail holding Fu-
JORGE RUEDA jimori.
Associated Press Fujimori's father, a strong-
LIMA, Peru (AP) — When man who governed Peru
opposition leader Keiko from 1990 to 2000, remains
Fujimori leaves prison, her a polarizing figure. Some
supporters will applaud her Peruvians praise him for de-
freedom and her detrac- feating Maoist Shining Path
tors will lament what they guerrillas and resurrecting
consider more impunity for a devastated economy,
the corrupt, but the reality while others detest him for
is the future is far from clear human rights violations. He
for the woman who twice is serving a 25-year sen-
almost won Peru's presi- tence for human rights
dency. abuses and corruption.
The Constitutional Tribu- Keiko Fujimori assumed the
nal narrowly approved a role of first lady following
habeas corpus request to the traumatic divorce of
free Fujimori from deten- her father and Susana Hi-
tion while she is investigat- guchi.
ed for alleged corruption. She graduated in business
But the magistrates noted administration from Boston
the 4-3 decision does not University in 1997 and re-
constitute a judgment on n this Oct. 17, 2018 file photo, Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of Peru's former President Alberto Fuji- turned to the United States
her guilt or innocence with mori, and leader of the opposition party, enters to the courtroom wearing a chest vest that reads in 2000 to obtain a master's
regards to accusations she in Spanish: "Detained" during a hearing where she is appealing her detention in Lima, Peru. degree in business from
accepted money from Associated Press Columbia University.
Brazilian construction giant She tried to follow in her fa-
Odebrecht. Popular Force party held America. said: "increase Keiko to 500 ther's presidential footsteps
The daughter of imprisoned a majority in congress until In 2016, Odebrecht recog- and pay a visit." and forge a gentler, kinder
former President Alberto September, when President nized in a plea agreement Fujimori denies the accu- version of the movement
Fujimori — who herself was Martín Vizcarra dissolved with the U.S. Justice De- sations against her and known as "Fujimorismo."
jailed in October 2018 — the legislature in a popular partment that it paid some says prosecutors and Peru's She finished second in the
could be returned to a cell. move he described as nec- $800 million in bribes to offi- election body have re- 2011 election and five years
"Although the Constitution- essary to uproot corruption. cials throughout the region. ceived Popular Force's ac- later lost in a razor-thin vote,
al Tribunal has freed her for The conservative Popu- The bribes included some counting books for inspec- coming within less than half
a strictly procedural matter, lar Force will participate in $29 million in Peru for public tion. a percentage point of de-
it has not absolved her of January legislative elec- works contracts during the Her jailing capped a strik- feating Kuczynski.
any of the charges, and it tions, but Fujimori is not ex- administrations of President ing downfall for a politician Now, emerging into a new
also did not dismiss the new pected to be a candidate Alejandro Toledo and two who went from first lady at Peru with a dissolved con-
charges made by the Pub- and some expect the party of his successors. Corrup- age 19, to powerful opposi- gress and widespread dis-
lic Ministry," political analyst to fade in the vote. tion allegations have hit tion leader, to within a hair's like for political elites, Fuji-
Iván García Mayer said. As leader of Popular Force, all of Peru's presidents be- breadth of the presidency. mori faces a tough situa-
It is unclear when Fujimori Fujimori managed to un- tween 2001 and 2016. Hundreds of mostly young tion, analysts say.
will be freed, but authorities dermine the government Prosecutors accuse Fujimori people protested Mon- She "is in a very bad posi-
said after Monday's court of Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, of laundering $1.2 million day's ruling freeing her, tion; it will be very difficult
ruling that it could happen fueling the impeachment provided by Odebrecht calling it another demon- for her to recover because
later in the week. of the now imprisoned ex- for her 2011 and 2016 presi- stration of impunity for the the immense majority be-
The 44-year-old will leave president for lying about his dential campaigns. They corrupt. lieve she really committed
prison to a changed politi- ties with Odebrecht. opened an investigation But Fujimori's supporters acts of corruption," said
cal landscape, facing the But now Fujimori herself has into the campaigns after have painted "Free Keiko" analyst and sociologist Fer-
tough task of rebuilding her been ensnared by a cor- seeing a note written by signs around Lima. Her nando Rospigliosi.
political party and career, ruption scandal that has Marcelo Odebrecht, head husband, Mark Villanella, "She is not going to recover
both of which have been toppled political and busi- of the Brazilian mega-com- had been on a more than in the medium term," he
eroded by scandals. Her nesses leaders around Latin pany, on his cellphone that week-long hunger strike said.q
Bolivia to renew Israel ties

after rupture under Morales

By PAOLA FLORES rael was announced by turn, Longaric said.
LA PAZ, Bolivia (AP) — Bo- interim Foreign Minister Kar- Israel's foreign minister, Is-
livia said Thursday it will re- en Longaric as part of an rael Katz, welcomed the
store diplomatic ties with overhaul of Bolivia's foreign Bolivian announcement.
Israel, a decade after then- policy following Morales' Bolivia's interim govern-

Bolivia's Foreign Minister Karen Longaric attends a press con- President Evo Morales sev- resignation this month. ment has also named Wal-
ference introducing the newly appointed ambassador to the ered relations because of Many Israeli tourists visited ter Oscar Serrate Cuellar as
United States, at the Foreign Ministry in La Paz, Bolivia, Thursday, an Israeli military offensive Bolivia before Morales cut the new ambassador to the
Nov. 28, 2019. in Gaza. off relations with Israel, and United States after an 11-
Associated Press The renewal of ties with Is- the hope is that they will re- year diplomatic rupture.q