Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, who was convicted of human rights abuses and corruption, has died aged 86, his daughter has confirmed.
Fujimori led Peru from 1990 to 2000 before being forced to resign over corruption allegations.
His tough stance on the leftist rebel uprising as president also led to accusations of human rights abuses.
But his supporters praise him for defeating the rebels at a time when they appeared poised to seize power.
He fled the country but was later arrested and extradited before being convicted and imprisoned.
His daughter, Keiko Fujimori, posted on social media that the former president had passed away “after a long battle with cancer”.
Fujimori’s supporters began gathering outside his home shortly after his daughter posted an announcement of his death.
“After a long battle with cancer, our father, Alberto Fujimori, has just gone to meet the Lord,” his children Keiko, Hiro, Sachie and Kenji said in a joint statement.
“We call on his loved ones to join us in praying for his soul to rest in eternal peace.
“Thank you so much, Dad!”
To Fujimori’s supporters, he is the man who saved Peru from the brutal Maoist rebel group Sendero Luminoso (Shining Path), and who got the economy back on track after skyrocketing inflation.
But to thousands of innocent victims of the conflict, Fujimori was an authoritarian figure and a brutal leader.
The son of Japanese immigrants, Fujimori ruled the country with an iron fist, his time in office marked by dramatic twists and turns.
He was first elected president in 1990, when the rebel insurgency was at its height.
Two years later, Fujimori shut down parliament, accusing lawmakers of preventing him from taking the measures the country needed.
His government defeated the rebels but at the cost of many lives.
His authoritarian regime’s repression resulted in the deaths of an estimated 69,000 people.
Fujimori was eventually convicted of human rights abuses, primarily targeting poor indigenous communities.
Fujimori ruled Peru until he was forced to resign over corruption allegations. 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.
She lost the most recent presidential election by a narrow margin and has announced she will run for re-election in 2026.
