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Peruvians Brand Fujimori as Most Corrupt
- Many adults in Peru express disappointment with one of their former presidents, according to a poll by Apoyo. 54 per cent of respondents think the government headed by Alberto Fujimori has been the most corrupt since 1980.
The first tenure of current head of state Alan García is second on the list with 23 per cent, followed by the administration of Alejandro Toledo with 16 per cent, and the government of Fernando Belaúnde Terry with one per cent.
Fujimori—who administered the Peruvian government from 1990 to 2000—left office after a series of corruption allegations and settled in Japan. In July 2003, the Peruvian government officially requested Fujimori's extradition, which was denied. In November 2005, Fujimori was detained in Chile on the basis of an international warrant.
The list of Fujimori's alleged offences includes misuse of public funds, kidnapping and murder. In the early 1990s, Fujimori launched a crackdown on armed groups. A government-backed paramilitary squad known as the Colina Group was involved in two separate operations, which left 25 people dead in 1991 and 1992.
Vladimiro Montesinos was Fujimori's closest advisor and the head of Peru's National Intelligence Service (SIN) during his decade-long tenure. To this day, Montesinos has been convicted in 13 different trials for crimes such as plotting against national security, arms dealing and embezzlement. He is currently serving a 20-year sentence in Peru and awaiting a verdict on other 50 or so processes against him.
Polling Data
Which Peruvian government would you say has been the most corrupt?
Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000) | 54% |
Alan García (1985-1990) | 23% |
Alejandro Toledo (2001-2006) | 16% |
Fernando Belaúnde Terry (1980-1985) | 1% |
Source: Apoyo
Methodology: Interviews with 5,831 Peruvian adults, conducted from Sept. 2 to Sept. 22, 2006. Margin of error is 2 per cent.