FORTIFICATION OF THE DEMOCRATIC PROCESS-
They put 'em in, they take 'em out. But it's got to be done right,
with an official US sponsored election. Get Jimmy ready, so that
there's no fraud this time around. It's time to play.... Imperialism
with a Happy Face.
Funny how the State Department is against a coup. They are Soooo
progressive there, with Clinton in office. I'm beginning to see the
difference between Bush and Gore. One would be a benevolent God,
and the other, a compassionate, conservative God.
Will Milosevic respect the will of 'the people' as Fujimori is doing?
Fujimori is Washington's model boy for Milosevic to follow. It's
time to fortify democracy!
Tony
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Peru's Fujimori Arrives in D.C.
by GEORGE GEDDA
Associated Press Writer
WASHINGTON (AP)-- As Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori arrived for
talks on easing his country's political crisis Thursday, the State
Department called for a ''peaceful, democratic and constitutional
transition of power'' in Peru.
With rumors of a military coup rampant back home, Fujimori met Thursday
evening with Organization of American States Secretary General Cesar
Gaviria. The OAS has assumed a central role in attempting to forge a
consensus among Peru's political groups on how to restore political
stability in the South American nation.
Efforts also were being made for Fujimori to meet with senior State
Department officials.
Department spokesman Philip Reeker said the administration will
emphasize during the discussions ''our support for a peaceful,
democratic and constitutional transition of power, and for the
continuation of OAS dialogue that has been going on.''
Fujimori was inaugurated for a third term just two months ago, but
political developments since then have weakened him to the point where
he plans to arrange for new elections next year, four years ahead of
schedule. He has said he will not be a candidate.
Hours before Fujimori's 2 a.m. departure Thursday from Lima, an
opposition congressman who had defected to Fujimori's ranks, charged
that the army high command was pressuring lawmakers to provoke a coup
within 20 days.
The congressman, Miguel Mendoza, warned that the army was plotting to
restore power to Fujimori's deposed spy chief, Vladimiro Montesinos. The
comment put Peruvians on edge just when it appeared that the
OAS-sponsored political dialogue was helping to repair the country's
damaged democracy.
The purpose, Mendoza said, ''would be to promote disorder within
Congress and throughout the country to unleash generalized chaos and
carry out a coup d'etat within 20 days, which would allow the return of
... Montesinos.''
The army's information office dismissed the allegations of Mendoza, as
''absolutely false.''
Eduardo LaTorre, the OAS' permanent secretary in Peru, met with Fujimori
for nearly two hours in the government palace shortly after the
congressman's announcement. LaTorre downplayed the congressman's charge,
saying it had been mentioned in passing during the meeting with
Fujimori. LaTorre said Fujimori planned to discuss with Gaviria ''the
fortification of the democratic process here in Peru.''
A meeting between government and opposition representatives was
suspended soon after Mendoza made his allegation.
Montesinos, who fled the country for Panama on Sunday amid a corruption
scandal, hand-picked the top commanders of the army, who are believed to
be loyal to him. Montesinos had been caught on videotape apparently
bribing an opposition congressman to defect to Fujimori's ranks.
At least 10 lawmakers from Fujimori's Peru 2000 political alliance have
abandoned the party since the scandal broke. As of Wednesday, Fujimori's
legislative bloc held only 54 seats in the 120-member Congress,
eliminating the control he maintained during the last eight years of his
10-year presidency.
Congressman Moises Wolfenson, one of the lawmakers who quit Peru 2000 on
Monday, said his decision was not influenced by any outside forces.
''There was no type of pressure, as (Mendoza) has alleged,'' he said.
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