Former President Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000) on Friday participated virtually in the judicial hearing on the sterilizations carried out during his time in office.
During the event, he denied that these had been forced and carried out without the consent of the affected women.
This procedure, consisting of an inquiry-type statement, took place at the request of Chile's Supreme Court —within the framework of the extension of the extradition request submitted to the neighboring country to repatriate the former Head of State.
During his virtual participation from
Lima's Barbadillo Prison, Fujimori stressed that the sterilizations were carried out
"with informed consent; freely, voluntarily, and in writing."
"That accusation is totally false," Fujimori said.
"What my government did was to offer the population all modern and traditional family planning methods, without exception or preference for one or the other, at the free choice of each one of the interested parties," he added.
Crimes against life, body, and health
The former president stated that, during his time in office, he had sought to reduce infant and maternal mortality rates —especially in high Andean areas. In this sense, he mentioned Apurímac, Ayacucho, and Huancavelica regions.
"Infant mortality was extremely high, 85 per 1,000 on average. Between eight and nine children used to die out of 100 children born alive, this rate had to be reduced to more acceptable levels of less than 35," Fujimori argued.
The former top official was accompanied by his attorney during the virtual hearing.
The judge in charge of the case explained that the facts involved in this case include the commission of crimes against life, body, and health, in the form of serious injuries and consequent loss of lives, as well as violation of human rights.
Alberto Fujimori ruled the South American country from July 1990 to November 2000.
The sentence was issued once he was found guilty as mediate perpetrator of the crimes of homicide, serious injuries, and kidnapping in the Barrios Altos and La Cantuta Cases, which left 25 people dead between 1991 and 1992.
In addition,
Fujimori was imposed a sentence of six years in prison and two years of disqualification from holding public office for the crime of usurpation of functions over the illegal raid on the home of Trinidad Becerra —wife of
his presidential adviser Vladimiro Montesinos.
The former Head of State was also imposed a six-year sentence for crimes against public administration, embezzlement, and active bribery due to the Service Time Compensation (CTS) payment of US$15 million to Montesinos.