Speaking to the press, the Speaker of Parliament, Eduardo Salhuanaprovided details on the authorization for former President Alberto Fujimori to collect a lifetime pension. According to what was said with the APP parliamentarian, it will not be necessary for the Board of Directors of Congress to evaluate the granting of the monthly pension of S/15,600.
“By May, the legal opinion and the necessary financial reports were available. Finally, in June, the decision was made to authorize the granting of the pension, and on July 10, Fujimori was notified of the approval of his request,” he said.
Salhuana did not deny that this decision was “controversial,” but “Congress has to make a decision.” Along those lines, he stressed that the rule that establishes the pension for former presidents of the Republic is not clear.
“Because Article 2 (of Law No. 26519) establishes the possibility of suspending the granting of the pension when there is a constitutional accusation, or otherwise an acquittal of the former president accused of a crime,” he explained.
He therefore stated that the legislator should have stated that “it is prohibited to grant a pension to any former president who has been accused or has been convicted in a criminal case.” Since the law was not drafted in this way, Salhuana alleges that the aforementioned law generates “discrepancies in legal interpretation.”
Eduardo Salhuana questions Antauro Humala’s candidacy
At another point, Salhuana refers to the request by the Prosecutor’s Office to declare Antauro Humala’s party illegal for reasons of violating fundamental rights.
“We must stop citizens who want to be president of the Republic, but who have committed crimes against humanity, crimes linked to terrorism, aggravated homicide,” he said.
Along these lines, former President Alberto Fujimori was sentenced to 25 years in prison accused of crimes such as: murder with treachery and kidnapping, usurpation of functions, embezzlement and ideological falsehood, and crimes of corruption and espionage.
However, as is known, the “Amnesty Law”, which seeks to prescribe crimes against humanity and war crimes that occurred before 2002, would mainly benefit Alberto Fujimori, who would go unpunished for several of the crimes mentioned.
The law, which was not observed by the Executive, can be enacted at the insistence of Congress. In response to this, Salhuana told the media: “We will review and act in accordance with the legislative process.”
