The Attorney General, Javier Pacheco, pointed out that Fujimori was not declared innocent and was sentenced for seven cases, three of them for corruption, and that he owes millions to the state.

by María Josefina Arce

Peruvians do not trust their Congress. More than 90% disapprove of the actions of the legislative body, which in the last few days has once again sparked controversy with a decision in favor of former dictator Alberto Fujimori.

Now it has approved a life pension for the former president, in response to the request presented by Fujimori's defense last April, a few months after his release from prison, after the Supreme Court reinstated the questionable humanitarian pardon granted to him in 2017 by the then president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.

The action of the legislative body has been qualified as inappropriate by analysts who specify that this resource cannot be granted to a former president who has been constitutionally accused and found guilty.

The former anti-corruption prosecutor, Antonio Maldonado, pointed out that this decision does not make sense since the former dictator is accused of crimes that constitute serious violations of human rights.

It should be recalled that in 2009 he was sentenced to 25 years in prison for the massacres of Barrios Alto in 1991 and La Cantuta in 1992.

The Attorney General, Javier Pacheco, pointed out that Fujimori was not declared innocent and was sentenced for seven cases, three of them for corruption, and that he owes millions to the state.

Several legislators have presented before Congress an appeal for annulment against the resolution, which they said violates the Constitution.

The privilege was granted to Fujimori in spite of the existence of a law, which paradoxically was signed by the former president himself, that prohibits the granting of a pension to convicted ex-governors.

The curious thing is that while the legislation was conveniently left aside to grant this benefit to the former dictator, Congress has resorted to it to deny this benefit to another former president, Pedro Castillo, who was the object of a parliamentary coup in December 2022 and is currently in prison.

Most Peruvians are of the opinion that the current Congress does not represent them, as it has made clear its position in favor of impunity as evidenced by its decision to grant a pension to Fujimori and the Law sanctioned at the beginning of last July that prescribes crimes against humanity committed before 2002, which also privileges the former dictator.