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Alberto Fujimori the former President of Peru by Staff Sergeant Karen L. Sanders –

Top 10 Facts About Alberto Fujimori

In the 20th century, many leaders were known for their oppressive tactics, dictatorship, and disregard for human rights. However, amidst all of this, there was one leader who managed to stand out.

Alberto Fujimori, the former President of , was a controversial figure with a tumultuous legacy, to say the least! However, despite his flaws, Fujimori is still considered by many, one of the most respected leaders in Peru’s history.

His legacy is filled with both achievements and controversies, and his story continues to fascinate people all over the world. In this article, we will take a look at some facts about the interesting life and career of Alberto Fujimori.

1. Born to Immigrant Parents

On July 28th 1938, Alberto Kenya Fujimori Inomoto was born to Naoichi Fujimori and Mutsue Inomoto. Both his parents were immigrants in Peru from Japan. Growing up, he was raised in a strict household and had a strong work ethic instilled in him from a young age.

His father was a farmer while his mother was a homemaker. Being the son of immigrants, and a part of a minority group in Peru, he faced discrimination and prejudice.

However, despite this, he excelled in his studies and as history will show us, he went on to become a revered politician.

2. He Has a Master’s Degree in Mathematics

A scholar by Jasmine Coro on

From a young age, Fujimori displayed a very healthy thirst for knowledge. This ultimately led him to pursue an education in science and mathematics.

Fujimori attended La Rectora School and Colegio Nuestra Seora de la Merced for his early education. Afterward, he joined the Universidad Nacional Agraria La Molina in 1957 where he did his undergraduate studies. After 4 years, he graduated first in his class as an agricultural engineer.

He moved to France in 1964 to attend the University of Strasbourg to study physics. He also attended the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee in the USA on a Ford scholarship where he obtained his master’s degree in mathematics in 1969.

3. Peru’s 54th President

Alberto Fujimori by Staff Sergeant Karen L –

In 1990, Fujimori was elected as the 54th President of Peru. His victory made history as he became the first person of Japanese descent to be elected as a head of state in the Americas (Latin America).

However, before becoming president, his citizenship was called into question with some claiming that he was still a Japanese national at the time of his election. Fujimori faced legal challenges, but ultimately it was determined that he was a citizen of both Japan and Peru. He was the dark horse in the race but ultimately won the presidency and engrained his name in the history books.

4. Elected For 3 Terms

Election polling station Elliott Stallion on

Fujimori served the people of Peru for 2 consecutive terms (5 years each) from 1990 to 2000. He was re-elected for a third term in the 2000 elections but his re-election was deemed unconstitutional.

This was because the Peru constitution dictates that one can serve as president for a maximum of 2 terms. However, Fujimori managed to run for a 3rd term by exploiting a loophole in the constitution.

The loophole in question allowed presidents to be reelected for a non-consecutive term after waiting for at least one term. Despite winning, his re-election was controversial and brought turmoil to Peru. He did not serve as President for the term!

5. He Used Questionable Tactics to Maintain Power

Human rights poster by Markus Spiske on

Fujimori was elected for 2 consecutive terms. While he is credited for bringing stability to the country following a tumultuous term from his predecessor, it was not all rainbow and sunshine during his 10-year rule.

He was known for his authoritarian style of leadership, which was marked by the use of questionable tactics to maintain power. While he was popular among some segments of the Peruvian population due to his economic policies, his administration was also marked by widespread human rights abuses. This included forced sterilizations and the disappearances of political opponents.

6. He Fled to Japan in 2000

Following the fiasco that was the 2000 elections, things only went downhill from here. While in power, Fujimori was constantly accused of election fraud, human rights abuses, and corruption just to name a few.

However, in 2000 all this came to haunt him and his government officials. Formal charges were filed against Alberto for a long list of misdoings. Fujimori was on the brink of impeachment when he opted to flee to Japan.

7. He Was Arrested In 2005 In Chile

An arrest (Fujimori probably wasn’t arrested in such dramatic fashion) by John Cameron on

Following his self-imposed exile in Japan, Fujimori promptly resigned but the Peruvian congress denied the resignation and instead relieved him of his duties. Fujimori remained in Japan until November 2005 when he was arrested upon arrival in Chile. Peru then proceeded to request his extradition from Chile to Peru in September 2007 where he was expected to face trial. 

8. Sentenced To 25 Years in Prison

Behind bars by Hasan Almasi on

After his extradition to Peru, Alberto faced trials for human rights violations and corruption charges. He was accused of being involved in death squad killings and kidnappings during his time in office, as well as embezzling state funds.

In September 2009, he was found guilty and sentenced to 25 years in prison. This marked the end of an era in Peruvian politics but also brought a sense of closure to the victims of Fujimori’s regime. The trial was widely seen as a landmark case in the fight against impunity for human rights violations committed by heads of state.

9. He Received a Presidential Pardon In 2017

In 2017, Alberto Fujimori, who had been serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses and corruption, was controversially granted a medical pardon by Peru’s then-president Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.

The pardon was met with public outrage and accusations of political interference. This is because many believed that Fujimori’s health issues, which were used as a reason for the cause, were exaggerated to secure his release. Protests broke out in the streets, with many Peruvians demanding justice for the victims of Fujimori’s regime.

10. Her Eldest Child Is a Politician

Alberto Fujimori and his son Kenji await a presidential pardon by NewsDigitalcom –

Fujimori has a daughter who is a prominent Peruvian politician named Keiko Fujimori. Keiko is the eldest of Fujimori’s four children and has followed in her father’s footsteps by running for president multiple times.

She founded the right-wing party called Fuerza in 2011. Keiko narrowly lost to Ollanta Humala in the 2011 presidential election. In 2016, she ran again and made it to the runoff election, but lost to Pedro Pablo Kuczynski.

Like her father, Keiko has faced legal issues and was arrested in 2018 for alleged money laundering related to her campaigns. She has denied the accusations and remains a polarizing figure in Peruvian politics.

Discover more famous people from Peru here!