MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peru thanks Chile for “gagging” Fujimori

Peruvian officials praised Tuesday Chile's decision to stop former Peruvian president Alberto Fujimori, currently free on bail in Santiago, from making further political statements until the extradition process is over.

Peruvian ministerial cabinet chief Pedro Pablo Kuczynski said he was pleased; Foreign Affairs minister Oscar Maúrtua agreed with the Chilean decision which "must hold" during the extradition process and Justice minister Alejandro Tudela praised the "celerity" with which the Chilean government reacted to Lima's request.

President Michelle Bachelet's administration reply "shows how inexact Mr. Fujimori's defense arguments are", which described the original Peruvian complaint as "impertinent" and "meddling" in Chilean affairs.

"Fujimori will only be able to talk about those affairs which affect Chilean interests. He shouldn't have made statements about the Peruvian electoral campaign or say what he was going to decide his next steps, such as returning to Japan. That is a mockery which under no circumstances is acceptable", underlined minister Tudela.

Last Monday at his residence in Santiago, Fujimori was notified by Chilean authorities of his rights and responsibilities under the "Foreign Bill", while his case is under consideration by a Chilean court which set him free on bail and after having handed in his passport.

Over the weekend and interviewed by Japan's Yomiuri, the daily with the largest circulation in Tokyo, Mr. Fujimori admitted that on arriving in Chile at the most he expected to be taken under house arrest in Santiago.

However if Peru's extradition request is finally rejected by Chilean courts "one of the options is returning to Japan", he said.

"I knew there was an extradition agreement between Peru and Chile but only in the worst of scenarios would I find myself under house arrest in Santiago", he confessed.

Fujimori abandoned Peru's presidency in the midst of a major corruption scandal in 2000, faxing his resignation from Philippines, and fled to Japan where he resided until last November when he unexpectedly landed in Chile.

"I wanted to be close to my people with the purpose of running for president", said Fujimori trying to explain his reappearance in South America.

However retained in a Santiago military police barrack, Mr. Fujimori was banned from speaking about politics, had no access to a phone and pictures and videos of him were banned.

"It was during that time, I meditated and decided to leave politics to my children Keiko and Santiago", revealed Mr. Fujimori.

Last Thursday the former Peruvian president was free on bail after depositing 2.900 US dollars. Peruvian presidential election run off is scheduled for June 4.