Global Voices Online

Photo by Enlacenacional and used by permission

After a lengthy process, the Chilean judicial system ruled that former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori would be extradited to face charges of corruption and human rights abuses. When news of the court's decision reached Peru, bloggers would react almost instantaneously with jubiliation and with a firmer confidence in the justice system. However, questions still exist about what this means for the political landscape in Peru, especially for the party of current President Alan Garcia and whether this was part of Fujimori's plan the entire time.

Sandro Medina of Letra Suelta [ES] writes from a journalist's viewpoint:

En estos momentos las salas de redacción de los diversos medios de comunicación son un loquerío. La noticia de que la justicia chilena aprobó finalmente la extradición de Alberto Fujimori al Perúcambió todos los planes del día. Ni qué decir lo que ocurre en las calles o en las esquinas de esta ciudad llamada Lima, donde la gente común y corriente no deja de comentar la extradición del ex presidente. Ni qué decir de la atención mediática que habrá cuando Fujimori pise suelo peruano para responder ante la justicia.

In these moments, the newsrooms of various media channels are going crazy. The news that the Chilean justice system finally approved the extradition of Alberto Fujimori to Peru changed everything. This is not to mention what is happening on the street corners of Lima, where ordinary people are commenting on the extradition of the ex-President. This does not even mention the media attention that there will be when Fujimori steps foot on Peruvian soil to repsond to the justice system.

Humberto Contreras of El Lado Oscuro de la Tierra [ES] is optimistic and thanks Chile.

Cuando esta mañana leyendo los diarios on line me doy con la noticia de que la justicia chilena había concedido la extradición del ex presidente Alberto Fujimori, a los tribunales de justicia del Perú, no pude menos que exclamar a voz en cuello: ¡Gracias Chile! … Este 21 de Setiembre del 2007 tiene que ser una fecha histórica. El primer país latinoaméricano y, quizá del mundo entero, que extradita a un ex primer mandatario por delitos de corrupción y lesa humanidad. Esta resolución tiene que servir de ejemplo a toda la comunidad internacional para que los delitos contra los derechos humanos no queden impunes y puedan ser sancionados de acuerdo a lo estabecido en las jurisprudencias nacionales e internacionales. Y tengan la seguridad de que el Perú, le dará el debido proceso a este ex funcionario -cosa que él nunca hizo- cuando fue el “mandamás” en el país.

When I was reading the online newspapers this morning, when I read that the Chilean justice system had approved the extradition of ex-President Alberto Fujimori to the Peruvian justice system, I could not help but yell Thanks, Chile! September 21 should be a historic date. Peru is the first Latin American country and maybe in the world, that extraditions a former Preisdent for charges of corruption and crimes against humanity. This resolution should serve as an example for the entire international community that human rights abuses should not remain unpunished and can be sanctioned according to national and international jurisprudence. Rest assure that Peru will provide due process to the ex-President - something that he never did when he was the head of the country.

Ernesto of the blog Física3 [ES] writes from Spain and agrees with the decision of the Chilean judicial system.

Empieza bien el fin de semana, mas aun si vemos que se le trae por los casos importantes (que son los que conllevan condenas mas larga). El escenario politico se tornara interesante definitivamente, a ver cual es la posicion que tomara el Apra con el ex dictador en el Peru, si esta presencia ayudara o debilitara el nucleo duro del fujimorismo, como escondera la cabeza el empresariado que aplaudio hasta con las orejas durante los 90s…..

The weekend began well, and it will be better when we see what other important cases are brought up (those that bring longer sentences). The political stage has definitely turned more interesting, to see the position taken by the Apra (President Garcia's political party) with the ex-dictator of Peru, and to see whether his presence will help or weaken the strong nucleus of Fujimorismo or how the businessmen will hide when they enthusiastically applauded during the 1990s.

Gustavo Faverón of blog Puente Aereo writes from the United States is waiting to see the final verdict in order to ensure that Fujimori spends many years in prision.

Fujimori va a Lima, a encontrarse con los deudos de aquellos a quienes mandó a matar, o cuya muerte pasó por alto o justificó. Ya era tiempo. La justicia tarda, sí, pero, en contra de lo que dice el lugar común, raras veces llega. Ahora, por lo menos, parece estar en camino. Los criminales suelen frecuentar ciertos lugares de la sociedad: los palacios de gobierno y las prisiones son dos de ellos. Éste ya vivió en uno; lo espera el otro: ojalá pase allí mucho, mucho tiempo.

Fujimori is on his way to Lima to face the debts from those that he ordered to kill or whose deaths were justified by him. It was time. Justice takes time yes, which is in contrast to what some say, it rarely arrives. Now at least, it appears to be in motion. The criminals rarely frequent certain places in society: the government palaces and prisions are two of those places. This one already lived in one, and the other awaits him. Hopefully he spends a lot of time there.

Dennis David writes in Psicosociales [ES] about the principal political actors.

desde ya se vislumbra un panorama nada grato, sobre todo, para políticos que han dado muestras de estar aliados a los partidarios del fujimorismo y que no esperaban un fallo favorable a la extradición. La preocupación embarga al mismo Presidente de la Repúbica, Alan García, así como a muchos miembros de su bancada. Pues, el gobierno ya ha dado evidencias de estar aliada al fujimorismo tal como lo demuestra la elección de la última mesa directiva del Congreso, que lo preside Luis Gonzalez Posada, con el voto fujimorista. Por su parte, los partidarios del ex Presidente también han lanzado el grito al cielo y amenazan crear un verdadero ambiente de guerra civil. Pues otra vez están convocando a los más pobres para unirse a su causa.

The panorama does not look very pleasant, especially for those that have shown to be allied with the Fujimori party and that they did not hope for a decision for extradition. This also worries President Alan Garcia, as well as members of his political party. The government had shown signs of being allied with Fujimorismo, which was demonstrated in the election of the last Congressional board, which is presided by Luis Gonzalez Posada. For their part, members of Fujimori's party have also threatened to create an environment for civil war. They are calling together the poorest to unite for their cause.

Cesar Esquerre of La Nacion Inka del Siglo XXI [ES] tries to look for the reasons that Chile ruled in favor for extradition.

En Chile, hace unos días se comentaba que se había propuesto que (Chile) ocupe una alta posición como aliado de EEUU y occidente, y preocupaba enormemente el tema de los derechos humanos y de imagen que podria afectarse respecto a no extraditar a Fujimori, pues hasta ese entonces estaba claro que no podían extraditarlo, sin embargo los comentarios de “No hay intromisión política” repetidos desde ese momento en adelante por los voceros, pueden ser leidos al revés en ese idioma que los lectores de estrategia conocen, un lenguaje no hablado de actitudes de variables políticas y donde siempre que un miembro de poder dice muchas veces algo, generalmente es porque es más bien al revés. ¿Eso pudo influir?

A few days ago in Chile, there were comments that Chile holds a high allied position with the US and the West and that there was an enormous worry about the topic of human rights and what it would look like if they did not extradite Fujimori. Up until that point, they could not extradite him and the comments of “There is no political meddling” was repeated by the spokespersons. One could look at the language used by someone in positions of power, when he/she says something, the opposite is actually true. Could that have affected things?

Silvio Rendón of Gran Combo Club comments about Fujimori's recent statements on RPP, a Lima radio station, where the ex-President says that everything has turned out the way he had planned.

Al estilo del Chapulín Colorado “todos mis movimientos están fríamente calculados” o, si se quiere, al estilo del Superagente 86 que cuando estaba ante situación inesperada hablaba del “viejo truco”. En este caso estaríamos ante “el viejo truco del regreso voluntario”. Desde luego, no es algo creíble. Sin embargo, es cierto que con esto se “deschileniza” el caso Fujimori y se “peruaniza”, sin dejar de existir una competencia internacional en el asunto, pues las cortes internacionales tienen mayor jerarquía que las cortes peruanas.

In a very comedic manner, (Fujimori said,) “all of my moves are shrewdly calculated,” as if he had an “old trick up his sleeve.” In this case, we are talking about the old trick of a voluntary return. From there on, it is not very believable. However, it is true that with this, the case is “de-Chileanized” and it becomes “Peruvianized” and it still is an international affair because the international courts have a higher hierachy than Peruvian courts.

The blogger that calls himself Fantomas cannot be any more explicit about what he thinks of Fujimori [ES].

escuché la entrevista en CNN a Fuji. Se me cayó el tío. Nervioso, descolocado, titubeante, distraído, desesperado. Qué diferencia con la arrogancia cuando andaba protegido por su militancia en sus mejores años peruanos, o cuando estaba en Japón haciéndose el cojudo, o en el mismo Chile cuando por ahí se le ocurrió declarar cuando no debía hacerlo. ¿Qué tan acompañado está políticamente? ¿O realmente está solo?

I saw Fujimori's interview on CNN. He was nervious, disorientated, stuttering, distracted and desperate. What difference to the arrogance that he once showed when he was protected by his militancy during his best years in Peru or when he was in Japan acting smart, or when he when he made declarations in Chile when he shouldn't have. How politically accompanied is he? Or is he really alone?

Finally, the reactions from the Fujimoristas are not very calm, as Marco Sifuentes shows in some photos on his blog El Utero de Marita [ES], where acts of violence by Fujimoristas took place against the site of the judicial branch. For more links to reactions by Peruvian bloggers, please visit Globalizado [ES].