Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!americast-post Newsgroups: americast.twt.news From: americast-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: americast-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: Peruvian voters likely to bolster de facto dictator Date: Sat, 21 Nov 92 17:35:41 EST Message-ID: \SE A;WORLD \SS (WS) \HD Peruvian voters likely to bolster de facto dictator \BY Isabel Vincent \CR TORONTO GLOBE AND MAIL \DT LIMA, Peru LIMA, Peru - Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori will fulfill his promise to hold elections for a constituent assembly this weekend, but few expect the vote to do more than bolster his role as de facto dictator. "El Chinito [Mr. Fujimori] knows what's good for this country," said a middle-class shopkeeper in Lima. His views reflect those of many of his countrymen. "Somebody had to get tough with the violence and corruption, and Mr. Fujimori has brought us results," the shopkeeper said. "We've sunk so low that we need a strong man to run Peru." In April Mr. Fujimori dissolved Congress, suspended the judiciary and the constitution, and detained his main political opponents in what Latin Americans called an "autogolpe," or self-coup. The move earned international condemnation but was wildly popular at home. In response to the criticism, Mr. Fujimori promised a return to democracy. That will begin tomorrow when Peruvians elect a new single-chamber congress that will rewrite the constitution. The shopkeeper, who did not want to be named, recently identified the bodies of her brother and father, killed by members of the Shining Path guerrilla movement. More than 25,000 people have died in the 12-year war between the government and the Shining Path, and damage is estimated at $20 billion. For many Peruvians, embittered by years of terrorism and economic chaos, the fact that democracy barely exists in their country does not seem to be an issue. What is important, they say, is that Mr. Fujimori is producing results. A tough economic adjustment plan has reduced inflation to just under 4 percent a month from about 60 percent when Mr. Fujimori took office in 1990. In September, the anti-terrorism division of the federal police captured Shining Path leader Abimael Guzman Reynoso and several other high-ranking rebels, a success that boosted Mr. Fujimori's popularity. But the president's crackdown on terrorism is eroding what remains of civil rights in Peru. Since April, the media have reported several disappearances of intellectuals and political activists. Human rights advocates speak of a "new dirty war" by intelligence officials to wipe out opposition to the government. Still, a coalition of Nueva Maioria and Mr. Fujimori's Cambio 90 is expected to win a strong majority in the elections. The government has launched a multimillion-dollar advertising campaign to make sure of that, despite the protests of Organization of American States observers who have been in Lima for two months. And the major opposition forces, such as former President Alan Garcia's American Popular Revolutionary Alliance and ex-President Francisco Belaunde's Popular Action, are boycotting the elections with several unions that plan to hold strikes tomorrow. Mr. Garcia, who supported Mr. Fujimori in his bid for the presidency, has become his harshest critic and is in exile in Colombia. Critics say Mr. Fujimori staged an assassination attempt against himself last week in a bid to win sympathy and support. In a statement to the press, Mr. Fujimori said four retired army officers linked to APRA tried to kill him and seize control of the presidential palace. But observers reported no troop movements, and two of the accused ex-officers were released from house arrest after an investigation found that they were not involved. "There wasn't even the slightest proof that there was an attempt to assassinate the president," said Manuel Moreyra, a former senator and head of the Central Bank. Peru's 12 million voters must show up at the polls tomorrow or risk a fine, but they face the certainty of attacks by the Shining Path and a rival, pro-Cuban group, the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement. Peruvian newspapers say the Shining Path is planning "an all-out offensive" against the elections. Military sources say the group has brought its "fiercest militants" to Lima from the Upper Huallaga Valley, the region where it controls the country's drug trade. Nine persons were killed Wednesday by a Shining Path car bomb outside a Lima factory, and three persons were wounded Thursday by a car bomb outside a police station. Mr. Fujimori has sent tanks, helicopters and troops to several points in Lima to ward off Shining Path attacks and ensure the elections take place. * Distributed by Scripps Howard. This article is copyright 1992 The Washington Times. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM