Pope Leo calls for national reconciliation during Peru visit
Pope Leo, in the first of his scheduled 22 events in Peru, urged Keiko Fujimori to confront the wounds of the country’s turbulent past, alluding to her father’s contested legacy, reports BritPanorama.
Alberto Fujimori served as President from 1990 to 2000 and spent many years imprisoned after his presidency due to convictions for human rights abuses. He was pardoned in 2017 and passed away in 2024.
“Past events deserve to be treated with justice and sensitivity, leaving room for harmony to grow and for differences to be addressed with respect,” said Pope Leo. Without directly referencing the internal conflict that spanned from approximately 1980 to 2000, he noted that Peru had endured “difficult times” which tested the cohesion of the nation.
Calling on Peruvians to cultivate “honesty, integrity, and a willingness to engage with others,” the Pope emphasized that these qualities are essential for sustaining trust and democratic institutions.
In her welcoming address, Keiko Fujimori stated that the Pope’s visit was an invitation for Peru to pursue its “unfinished task” of national reconciliation.
Following the 2017 pardon of Alberto Fujimori, Leo, who was then Bishop Robert Prevost, expressed criticism, stating that the former president should seek forgiveness from victims for genuine reconciliation in Peru.
Throughout her presidential campaign, Keiko Fujimori heavily leaned on her father’s political legacy, promising strict security measures to combat rising crime rates.
Ahead of the Pope’s visit, Martin Cassinelli, an analyst at the Atlantic Council, noted that any suggestion for Peru to investigate its past might be unwelcome to the current Fujimori administration. “If there’s anything that could potentially be at odds with the current Fujimori government, it would be a reflection on the past,” Cassinelli remarked.
Relations during Alberto Fujimori’s presidency and the Catholic Church were often strained, especially regarding human rights amidst the government’s conflict with the Maoist Shining Path insurgency. Church representatives also opposed a 1995 amnesty that protected security forces accused of rights violations.
