The Drama’s Key Players

The following are thumbnail portraits of the main players in the 126-day hostage crisis at the Japanese ambassador’s residence in Lima that ended Tuesday.

Alberto Fujimori, 59: a Peruvian of Japanese ancestry, was elected president in 1990 and reelected in 1995. He converted Peru into one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America, but large-scale poverty persists.

Nestor Cerpa Cartolini, 44: erstwhile head of the Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA), led a squad of about 20 heavily armed rebels to storm the residence and seize hundreds of hostages on Dec. 17, 1996. Police accuse him of kidnappings and murders.

Rolly Rojas, 34: known by his nom de guerre “The Arab,” is Cerpa’s second-in-command. A former busfare collector, Rojas studied sociology at San Martin de Porres University where he also became involved with the MRTA.

Juan Luis Cipriani, 51: archbishop of the Andean highland archdiocese of Ayacucho, the birthplace of the Maoist Shining Path rebel group. A close friend of Fujimori, he is known for his hard line against guerrillas.

Anthony Vincent: Canada’s ambassador to Peru, was among hundreds of guests at a cocktail party to celebrate the Japanese Emperor’s birthday at the Japanese envoy’s home the night of the MRTA takeover. He was the only diplomat initially freed by the rebels to form a negotiating bridge with the government.

Domingo Palermo, 52: was a low-profile Education Minister until he was picked as the government’s chief negotiator in the hostage crisis.

The 72 Hostages

* Peru’s foreign minister

* 2 ambassadors

* The brother of Peru’s president

* Peru’s agricultural minister

* Other Peruvian, including officials from Supreme Court judges to members of Congress

* 12 Japanese businessmen

* 12 embassy staff members