Disgraced ex-Peru president Fujimori recovering from surgery

Disgraced former Peru president Alberto Fujimori's spirits are high following heart surgery earlier this week, his politician daughter Keiko said on Wednesday.

Fujimori underwent a heart catheterization on Monday and had a stent fitted after developing an uncontrollably racing heart rate.

"Thankfully so far the medical reports are positive, however it should be noted that he is in complete rest ... and still at risk, but he's in good spirits." said Keiko Fujimori, head of Peru's main opposition party.

Alberto Fujimori, who is serving a 25-year prison sentence for crimes against humanity, had been taken to hospital on Friday due to breathing difficulties.

His condition worsened on Monday, and during the catheterization doctors found that one of his arteries was 70 percent blocked.

The 83-year-old is due to spend "several days" recovering at the Peruvian-Japanese Centenario clinic under police guard.

His deteriorating health came soon after Peru's new left-wing government announced its intention to transfer him from his "golden prison" at a police station -- where he is the only inmate -- to one with fewer home comforts.

Right-wing populist Keiko Fujimori, who in April lost a presidential election run-off against Pedro Castillo, accused the government of being "cruel and malicious."

Last week she told AFP the proposed move amounted to "an attempt against my father's life."

Fujimori's sentence is due to two massacres committed by army death squads in 1991 and 1992, in which 25 people, including a child, were killed in a supposed anti-terrorism operation.

Fujimori was president from 1990 to 2000.

Imprisoned since 2007, Fujimori has long suffered from breathing and neurological problems and hypertension.

In May 2020, a court rejected a request from his family to have him released from prison due to the risk of contracting Covid-19.

Before her election defeat, his daughter said she would pardon her father if elected president.

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