From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: soc.culture.latin-america
Date: 14 Aug 92 10:26 PDT
Subject: PERU: SURPRISE MILITARY RESHUFFLE F
Nf-ID: #N:cdp:1473800259:000:3433
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!hrcoord    Aug 14 10:26:00 1992


From: Human Rights Coordinator <hrcoord>
Subject: PERU: SURPRISE MILITARY RESHUFFLE F

/* Written 12:21 am  Aug 14, 1992 by newsdesk in
cdp:ips.englibrary */ Copyright Inter Press Service 1992, all
rights reserved.  Permission to re- print within 7 days of
original date only with permission from 'newsdesk'.

Title: PERU: SURPRISE MILITARY RESHUFFLE FOLLOWS COUP RUMOURS

lima, aug 11 (ips) -- following a week of persistent rumours of a
possible military coup, important changes at the highest levels of
the peruvian military were announced on tuesday.

however, it is unclear whether the changes in the military high
command will strengthen or weaken de facto president alberto
fujimori.

while fujimori is officially commander-in-chief of the armed
forces, it is not certain whether the changes were made according
to his orders, or were an internal and unauthorised move that took
advantage of his absence. the changes came while fujimori was in
ecuador where he attended the inauguration of president sixto
duran-ballen.

on april 5, with military backing, fujimori dissolved parliament,
suspended the judicial system, arrested opposition leaders, and
declared an emergency government.

the most important of the announced changes is the replacement of
general luis salazar, former commander general of the important
region around and including the capital city of lima.

salazar has been given a military appointment in the united
states, a move interpreted locally as a ''golden exile.''

general victor pizarro, former commander of the first military
region along the ecuadorean border, has been named as salazar's
replacement.

military transfers and promotions normally occur in december, and
local observers are interpreting these sudden changes as a direct
response to the coup rumours.

a brief military communique announced the changes, but gave no
explanation of the reasons behind them.

coup rumours had quieted following last weekend's meeting between
fujimori and commanders from peru's five military regions.  at the
meeting, general jose valdivia assured fujimori that he had no
intention of leading a coup.

in its 171 years as a republic, peru has spent more time under
military regimes than democratically elected civilian
governments.

fujimori's presidential coup seems to be leading the country
towards yet another period of military rule.

politicians and political parties pushed from power in april,
along with the international diplomatic community have been trying
to pressure fujimori to return peru to constitutional order.
(more/ips)
----

peru: surprise (2)

with increased attacks by the rebel group ''sendero luminosa'' and
a worsening economic situation, opposition against fujimori has
hardened and dialogues between peru's political parties and the
president have broken down.

nevertheless, civil and opposition leaders are not very hopeful
for the future, especially if a military coup takes place.

in the past few weeks, former president fernando belaunde, of the
right-wing popular action party, has been publically calling on
the military to overthrow fujimori, wishfully thinking that the
generals would then call new parliamentary and presidential
elections.

moreover, political sources in lima have confirmed a flood of
recent diplomatic rumours, primarily coming from the united states
embassy, over the high possibility of a military coup.
(end/ips/trd/so/al-sfi/eli/kb/92)
----