Hundreds supporting Fujimori pardon demonstrate in Lima

Waving a massive Peruvian flag and holding photos of Fujimori and President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, who granted the pardon last month, supporters of the ex-president marched through the streets of the Peruvian capital, yelling chants including “friend, Peru is with you!” and “terrorism never again!”

The 79-year-old Fujimori was serving a 25-year sentence for human rights abuses committed during his time in office from 1990 to 2000.

Fujimori earned respect from many Peruvians for his ruthless and unflinching campaign to defeat leftist Shining Path guerrillas during his presidency.

The pardon came just days after his son Kenji and other Fujimorist lawmakers abstained from voting on Kuczynski’s impeachment in what was seen by many as a backroom deal to save the president from corruption charges.

Kuczynski — who defeated Fujimori’s daughter Keiko for the presidency in 2016 — said he had pardoned the ex-president for humanitarian reasons, reneging on an election pledge never to do so.

On Thursday thousands of Peruvians took to the streets nationwide demanding Kucynski step down over the divisive move.

Relatives of victims of those killed under Fujimori’s rule are appealing the pardon to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights, which sits in Costa Rica and will hear their case on February 2.