\n Peru President Martin Vizcarra vetoed on Monday a law that would have spared disgraced former leader Alberto Fujimori from prison, confining criminals over 65 suffering from serious or chronic illnesses to house arrest.\n<\/p>\n
\n The law, passed by a Congress dominated by Fujimori's former party, Popular Force, would have allowed the 80-year-old to avoid being sent back to prison once he leaves hospital, where he is being treated for heart problems.\n<\/p>\n
\n Fujimori is serving a 25-year sentence for crimes against humanity and corruption. He was granted a presidential pardon -- by Vizcarra's predecessor -- on humanitarian grounds in December, but that was revoked by a court earlier this month.\n<\/p>\n
\n Fujimori was 12 years into a sentence handed down for ordering two massacres by death squads in 1991 and 1992, leaving 25 people dead, when pardoned last year.\n<\/p>\n
\n Vizcarra told journalists that before such a law could be passed, it would need to be \"debated in depth to avoid\" benefitting \"incarcerated people who are a danger to society.\"\n<\/p>\n
\n He also described it as \"unconstitutional.\"\n<\/p>\n
\n His veto is largely symbolic, though, as Congress has the power to approve any law through insistence, by holding a second vote two weeks later at which point the bill would be automatically passed.\n<\/p>\n
\n The bill was passed in Congress on October 11 thanks to the large majority enjoyed by the Popular Force, now led by Fujimori's daughter Keiko.\n<\/p>\n
\n It was criticized by human rights groups, though, with Amnesty International saying it was a blow to \"the families of victims of grave violations of human rights.\"\n<\/p>\n
\n Conscious of such criticisms, Popular Force legislator Ursula Letona said her party would look to resolve the impasse in discussions with the government.\n<\/p>\n
\n Keiko Fujimori, who is herself trying to avoid prison -- accused of benefitting from millions of dollars in campaign bribes -- said it would be up to legislators to decide whether or not to consider Vizcarra's observations or push ahead with the bill.\n<\/p>\n
\n Alberto Fujimori has said that sending him back to prison would be a \"death sentence.\"<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Peru President Martin Vizcarra vetoed on Monday a law that would have spared disgraced former leader Alberto Fujimori from prison, confining criminals over 65 suffering from serious or chronic illnesses to house arrest. The law, passed by a Congress dominated by Fujimori's former party, Popular Force, would have allowed the 80-year-old to avoid being sent […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":60,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[553],"tags":[],"ji_location":[],"class_list":["post-39313","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-live-feed"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n