Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, who was convicted of human rights abuses and corruption, has died at the age of 86, his daughter confirmed.
Fujimori ruled Peru between 1990 and 2000 before being forced from office amid corruption allegations.
His tough stance against the left-wing insurgency when the president brought allegations of human rights abuses.
But his supporters praise him for defeating the rebels at a time when it looked like they might seize power.
He fled the country but was arrested and deported, before he was convicted and sent to prison.
His daughter Keiko Fujimori wrote on social media that the former president died “after a long battle with cancer”.
Fujimori’s supporters began gathering outside his house as soon as his daughter sent the announcement of his death.
“After a long battle with cancer, our father, Alberto Fujimori, has just gone out to meet the Lord,” his children Keiko, Hiro, Sachie and Kenji said in a joint statement.
“We ask those who love him to join us in praying for the eternal rest of his soul.
“Thank you very much, father!”
For Fujimori’s followers, he was the one who saved Peru from the brutal Maoist rebel group, Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path), who got the economy back on track after inflation.
But to the thousands of innocent victims of the conflict, Fujimori was an authoritarian and brutal leader.
The son of Japanese immigrants, Fujimori ruled with an iron fist, his time in office marked by dramatic vicissitudes.
He was first elected president in 1990, when the revolution was in full swing.
After two years, Fujimori shut down Congress, accusing lawmakers of preventing him from taking the steps the country needs.
His government was able to defeat the rebel group but at a very high human cost.
His dictatorial government’s attacks resulted in the deaths of an estimated 69,000 people.
Fujimori was eventually convicted of human rights violations that targeted poor indigenous communities in particular.
Fujimori ruled Peru until he was forced to resign due to allegations of corruption. He sought asylum in Japan before returning to Chile, where he was arrested.
Today his daughter Keiko is the leader of Peru’s largest political party.
He lost the last presidential election by a narrow margin and has announced that he will run again in 2026.
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