Peru’s convict ex-president Alberto Fujimori, 85, aims to run again
- Fujimori, who governed with an iron fist and fled Peru amid corruption scandals and rights violations, was released from prison in December
Alberto Fujimori, 85, who governed Peru with an iron fist for a decade and fled the country amid corruption scandals and human rights violations, plans to run for president amid a cloud of uncertainty and fractured politics.
His daughter Keiko, who unsuccessfully ran for president three times, announced the news, drawing attention to the 85-year-old ex-president, who was released from prison in December after an appeal court reinstated his pardon.
But legal experts and analysts are questioning the viability of his 2026 candidacy because of his previous convictions.
“A presidential pardon has exonerated him from prison, but his legal status is of someone who hasn’t finished his sentence,” said Anibal Quiroga, a constitutional lawyer, who says Article 33 of Peru’s constitution removes the political rights of people given prison sentences after criminal convictions.