MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Another piece for the Fujimori puzzle

Former Peruvian vie president Francisco Tudela Van Breugel said that the downfall of President Alberto Fujimori in 2000 was very much influenced by his administration's lack of support for the United Stated sponsored Colombia Plan and the decision to purchase fighter bombers MIG-29 instead of F-16.

Mr. Tudela who currently lives in Santiago sent a letter which was published Sunday in the Lima press indicating that the "downfall of president Fujimori was essentially the action of United States during 2000".

It's the first time a former Fujimori administration high official incriminates United States in the collapse of the regime which ruled Peru with an iron fist from 1990 to 2000 and was a close ally of Washington during most of that time.

However there was no official reaction from Mr. Fujimori's camp who is currently detained in Santiago while the Peruvian government presents extradition requests.

"As the official voice I have no comments regarding that issue. Our position is not to address the matter", said Carlos Raffo, the former president's spokesperson.

Mr. Tudela explains in the long letter that the President Bill Clinton administration never forgave the Fujimori regime for purchasing MIG-29 from Byelorussia instead of US manufactured F 16 plus for not having supported in 1999 the Colombia Plan.

The secret purchase of the MIG 29 infuriated the lobbies from the big American contractors Lockheed, McDonnell Douglas and other companies that began acting against Peru in the US Senate, wrote the former vice-president.

But above all it was the decision not to support the Colombia Plan which sealed the fate of Fujimori's third term that ended abruptly and didn't last more than 120 days. Mr. Fujimori instead of returning to Peru flew to Japan under protection of Japanese citizenship where he was living until early this month when his surprise Sunday landing in Santiago.

"When president Fujimori in 1999 during a presentation in the Defence University at Washington said he was against the Colombia Plan, he sealed his fate and that of Peru".

"The Americans felt their interests in the sub-region were being attacked so they decided to have him ousted", claims Mr. Tudela.

After Mr. Fujimori's downfall, new elections were held and Alejandro Toledo a former World Bank economist and fully supported by the State Department became president. Mr. Toledo's mandate ends next year and Mr. Fujimori claims he wants to run for office again, in spite of having been barred for ten years.