Peru's First Preparatory Investigation Court Head Judge Richard Concepcion Carhuancho on Wednesday affirmed there is serious suspicion that Fuerza Popular party leader Keiko Fujimori allegedly participated in money laundering offenses, as the head of a criminal organization within the party.
According to him, this suspicion is based on the statements given by witnesses who indicated that there was a group within Fuerza 2011 —now Fuerza Popular— that made decisions outside the party's structure.
Furthermore, Keiko Fujimori, Pier Figari, Ana Herz, and Vicente Silva Checa —considered an advisor in the shadows due to his connections to Vladimiro Montesinos— were part of the organization's upper echelons.
In 2000, secret videos —which Montesinos had recorded— were televised that showed him bribing an elected lawmaker to leave the opposition and join the Fujimorist side of Congress. He has been in prison since 2001.
"(…) there is a de facto criminal organization that was created in parallel with the party. They took decisions that were sent to the political committee to be assessed and debated, and then passed to the party legislators' meetings," the judge affirmed.
The magistrate made clear this stance does not intend to criminalize the political party.
"One thing is the political party and another the criminal organization ingrained in the party," he underlined.
Moreover, this criminal organization relies on a vertical structure, where the upper echelons give instructions to party lawmakers at Parliament.
"Keiko was the leader, she used to tell Congress members what to do and send commanding messages such as 'clap loud,' and 'you can only shout democracy has won.' They (Fuerza Popular lawmakers) would ask for her permission to clap and opted to call her 'The Chief'," Concepcion Carhuancho added.
Currently, the judge continues reading his decision concerning Fuerza Popular party leader Keiko Fujimori.
(END) FHG/CVC/DTK/MVB
Published: 10/31/2018