Peru government says sorry for university massacre

Peru’s government apologised for a 1992 university massacre by a military death squad during the “rising dictatorial regime” of jailed former President Alberto Fujimori.

The 69-year-old politician is expected to stand trial next month on murder charges, including the death squad killings at La Cantuta University of nine students and a professor who were suspected of collaborating with the Maoist Shining Path rebels.

“In the name of the Peruvian state, we express our public apology,” Justice Minister Maria Zavala said in a ceremony.

She added that the death squad acted with the “approval of a rising dictatorial regime” referring to Fujimori’s 1990-2000 authoritarian government.

Fujimori fled to Japan seven years ago as his government collapsed in a corruption scandal, only to turn up in Chile in 2005 and reveal his ambition to run for Peru’s presidency last year.

He was extradited to Peru from Chile last month to face a total of seven human rights and corruption charges.

He faces a possible 30-year prison term and a $33m (€23m) fine if convicted in the 1992 slayings and the 1991 killings by the same death squad of 15 people in Lima’s Barrios Altos neighbourhood.

Fujimori calls the charges against him politically motivated and says he has a clear conscience. He is being held at a police base while awaiting trial.

Zavala said the government will pay damages to relatives of the La Cantuta victims, but did not specify an amount.