Anti-Fujimori Mutineers in Peru Win Amnesty

Congress has granted amnesty to a renegade Peruvian army commander and his followers who staged a thwarted insurrection against then-President Alberto Fujimori.

Fujimori’s opponents now control Congress, which approved the amnesty late Thursday that clears the way for the mutineers to return to their posts. The uprising took place several weeks before Fujimori fled to Japan.

The leader of the rebellion, Lt. Col. Ollanta Humala, had accused Fujimori of allowing former spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos to subvert the military high command and tarnish the army’s reputation with corruption, narcotics trafficking and arms dealing.

The insurrection began Oct. 29 when Humala and more than 50 followers took over a mine in the southern Peruvian town of Toquepala, commandeered food and fuel and then disappeared into the mountains.

The revolt failed to spark the wider rebellion that Humala had hoped for in barracks across the nation, and his force dwindled to as few as 10 followers after most of them deserted or were captured without a shot being fired.

But his cause struck a chord with many Peruvians in the final days of Fujimori’s corruption-ridden government. Humala surrendered to authorities last weekend, amid widespread calls that he not be prosecuted.

Montesinos, Fujimori’s top advisor, is wanted in Peru on charges ranging from money laundering and influence peddling to directing death squads.

The fugitive ex-spy chief is believed to be in Venezuela, where unconfirmed news reports said he underwent plastic surgery last week to change his features.

A videotape of Montesinos apparently bribing a congressman led to the scandal that toppled Fujimori, who is now in Japan. He was replaced by interim President Valentin Paniagua, whose mandate is to hold clean elections in April.