P 022218Z NOV 00
FM AMEMBASSY LIMA
UNCLAS LIMA 006538
E.O. 12958: DECLN/ATAGS: PGOV, PHUM, MOPS, PE
SUBJECT: ANTI-FUJIMORI MUTINY SPUTTERING BUT STILL UNDERWAY
REF: LIMA 6497
1. (U) SUMMARY: LT. COLONEL OLLANTA HUMALA’S MUTINY CONTINUES TO FESTER IN
SOUTHERN PERU. IN A TV INTERVIEW BROADCAST NOVEMBER 1, HUMALA SAID HE IS
WILLING TO NEGOTIATE A PEACEFUL EXIT WITH PRESIDENT FUJIMORI OR ARMED
FORCES COMMANDER GEN. WALTER CHACON.
TO HELP MEDIATE HUMALA’S SURRENDER, THE HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN TRAVELED
TO SOUTHERN PERU. MEANWHILE, A GROUP OF SOME 100 UNARMED FORMER SOLDIERS
ARE TRYING TO FIND AND JOIN HUMALA TO DEMONSTRATE THEIR SOLIDARITY WITH HIS
CAUSE. END SUMMARY.
2. (U) LTC HUMALA AND A HANDFUL OF FOLLOWERS REMAIN AT LARGE AT AN
UNIDENTIFIED LOCATION IN SOUTHERN PERU. CONTRARY TO MEDIA SPECULATION,
MILITARY CONTACTS HAVE ASSURED US THAT HUMALA REMAINS SURROUNDED AND
ISOLATED IN A REMOTE MOUNTAIN VILLAGE IN THE MOQUEGUA DISTRICT, SOME 75
MILES FROM THE BOLIVIAN BORDER.
MILITARY CONTACTS HAVE ALSO REITERATED THE COMMITMENT OF THE
ARMY TO FIND A PEACEFUL EXIT FOR HUMALA. THAT SAID, ONE SENIOR
ARMY OFFICER EMPHASIZED THAT HUMALA WOULD EVENTUALLY BE
ARRESTED, TRIED, SENTENCED, AND DISHONORABLY DISCHARGED.
OPPOSITION LEADER ALEJANDRO TOLEDO TOLD REPORTERS HE WOULD
PARDON HUMALA IF HE WERE TO BECOME PRESIDENT.
3. (U) IN A NOVEMBER 1 TV INTERVIEW, HUMALA DISMISSED RECENT
CHANGES IN THE MILITARY HIGH COMMAND AS COSMETIC. HE URGED
PERUVIANS TO RISE UP AND JOIN HIS STRUGGLE TO FORCE FUJIMORI TO
RESIGN, WHILE ALSO INDICATING A WILLINGNESS TO «OPEN A DIALOGUE»
WITH EITHER FUJIMORI OR COMMANDER OF THE ARMED FORCES WALTER
CHACON. HUMALA DENIED RUMORS THAT HIS MUTINY WAS IN SUPPORT OF
EX-NATIONAL INTELLIGENCE CHIEF VLADIMIRO MONTESINOS.
4. (U) SIMULTANEOUSLY, THE ARMY ACCEPTED THE OFFER OF NATIONAL
HUMAN RIGHTS OMBUDSMAN JORGE SANTISTEVAN TO ATTEMPT TO MEDIATE A
PEACEFUL RESOLUTION TO THE CRISIS. ON NOVEMBER 1 SANTISTEVAN
ATTEMPTED TO TRAVEL VIA HELICOPTER TO THE VILLAGE WHERE HUMALA
WAS BELIEVED TO BE, BUT COULD NOT LAND DUE TO POOR WEATHER. ON
NOVEMBER 2 SANTISTEVAN LEFT MOQUEGUA, LEAVING A DEPUTY SHOULD
CONTINUED EFFORTS BY THE OMBUDSMAN’S OFFICE BE NECESSARY.
5. (U) MEANWHILE, A GROUP OF MORE THAN ONE HUNDRED UNARMED
FORMER SOLDIERS IS MAKING A VERY PUBLIC ATTEMPT TO JOIN HUMALA.
TRAVELING IN THE BACK OF OPEN TRUCKS AND BUSES FROM MOQUEGUA,
THEIR CONVOY WAS TURNED BACK BY POLICE ON NOVEMBER 1 FOR «SAFETY
REASONS.» GROUP LEADERS HAVE VOWED TO KEEP TRYING.
6. (U) COMMENT: THE AMBASSADOR WAS ASKED BY THE PRESS ON
NOVEMBER 1 FOR HIS VIEW OF THE INCIDENT. HE STRESSED THAT THE
Dept. of State, RPS/IPS, Margaret P. Grafeld, Dk
Op Release ( ) Excise ( ) Denv ( ) DeclassifyExemption_
It)
