While facilitating the international banks and foreign corporations to make huge profits, the war on the people by the genocidal puppet Fujimori has intensified. The number of people living in extreme poverty has multiplied since 1990. This is the real situation regardless of the regime's manipulation which claims that by the end of 1996, only 28% of Peruvians were living in extreme poverty (El Comercio, June 20, 1997) Assuming this percentage is correct and add the regime's 42% categorized at the level of poverty, the total is the overwhelming majority of people in the country. This is reflected by the estimated 87.9% of total unemployment and underemployment reported by independent studies. The UN's Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) lists Peru as one of the countries with the highest levels of malnutrition.The above contradicts the ridiculous claim of Fujimori that he has increased the state's per capita spending from $12 in 1990 to $158 in 1996 and that the unemployment in Peru has dropped to 7%! (this number is less than the unemployment in New York or Paris). In reality, the expenditures on the welfare of the people have been cut or frozen since he assumed power. The bulk of Fujimori's budget covers the payment of the foreign debt and the military expenditures to combat the People's War (e.g., civil actions and psychological operations in the city slums and countryside as part of the low intensity warfare.)
It is public knowledge that the only political base of Fujimori is the armed forces and it has SIN as his political police (Cambio 90 is only a cover). Therefore, as the People's War has grown in quality and quantity, the costs of the contra insurgency operations have increased considerably. This is the real "war on poverty" that the dictator is boasting about.
The actions of the genocidal army do not cause in any shape or form "prosperity" on the people. Instead, they cause even more poverty, genocide disease, and death. Below are a couple of examples:
- In his speech before the OAS on June 8, 1997, Fujimori tried to justify the counterinsurgency costs as social expenditures. He stated: "The armed forces now build bridges, highways and even conduct literacy campaigns. They are a team of sociologists, economists, and social workers who are involved in the 'war on poverty.'" These are only the dreams of the dictator. If that was true Peru would be already a socialist country. Surely, when he talks about sociologists and anthropologists he is referring to those experts in psychological operations, the Senderologists (e.g., Raul Gonzales, Tapia, Degregori,etc.)
- The CIA operative and drug dealer, Vladimiro Montesinos (head of SIN), was recognized by Adolfo Pandolfi (Minister of Fujimori) as a combatant of the "war on poverty." He stated: "Montesinos is a lawyer with 25 years experience, a political and social scientist, a strategist in military intelligence and drugs. He is also the author of all laws on terrorism and drug trafficking." Thus, the individual who controls Fujimori's death squads, and carries out assassinations is converted into a "hero of the war on poverty."
- In his speech before his Congress on July 28, Fujimori rambled about his imaginary "successes," and said nothing about the critical problems facing the country nor did he address the crimes that were thoroughly exposed against his regime. On the economy, he has the same reactionary agenda. Besides of a miserable increase of 15% for the starving teachers and additional deductions from their wages, he spoke about lowering taxes for imported industrial products (chemicals, pesticides and fertilizers, imported fuel and farm machinery). Does this benefit the people or the big landowners and big capitalists? Even the NY Times (July 29, 97) has the answer: "These economic measures were roundly applauded by businessmen and investors..." and it also admitted: "...it will scarcely make a dent in Peru's rampant poverty and unemployment which has increased under Mr. Fujimori's tenure. More than half of Peru's 24 million people live below the poverty line, and 70 percent of them do not have full- time employment." However, the NY Times neglects to inform us that the "phenomenon" Fujimori was hatched by the military in 1990 (especially by SIN under orders of Yankee imperialism). Without the support of the armed forces he is finished. As usual, the NY Times is blind, deaf and mute with regard to the powerful attacks of the People's War on the eve of July 28th. (No wonder its telephone lines were wire tapped by the intelligence services!)
The regime's official paper El Peruano (June 6, 1997) reported that 81.5% of the total fund allocated to pay the foreign debt in 1997, has been consumed by the end of March (in less than 3 months!)
LACKEY PAYS FOREIGN DEBT IN ADVANCE WHILE HE STARVES THE PEOPLE
A total of 1,447,988,076 dollars was paid as interest to foreign creditors. The total amount allocated to pay the foreign debt in 1997 was 1,774,615,384 dollars.The total debt to imperialist banks and governments has increased from 22.141 billion dollars in 1990, to 33.061 billion dollars in 1996.