The Fall of Fujimori

Ellen Perry's fascinating documentary details the tumultuous and frequently surreal 10-year reign of Alberto K. Fujimori as president of Peru. The one-time engineer became an unlikely presidential candidate in 1990 by running under the slogan “A President Like You” (especially odd, given that Fujimori is the son of Japanese immigrants living in a country where Asians represent a demographic sliver). Initially, Fujimori lived up to his promise of restoring stability to the country, including capturing the leader of the Maoist terrorist group Shining Path in 1992. But before long he successfully rewrote the nation's constitution to increase his powers while riding roughshod over anyone who stood in his way (even his wife wasn't immune—she was officially replaced as First Lady by their daughter, and later challenged her husband as a candidate in the 1995 presidential campaign, although he won by a landslide). Ultimately, evidence of corruption, human rights violations, and death squads turned Fujimori into a hated figure, and he faxed in his resignation while on a state visit to Japan, where he has remained while criminal charges were filed against him in absentia. Perry's film is unique as it features Fujimori's first in-depth interview after his self-imposed exile. Equal parts enigmatic and modest, Fujimori seems an unlikely candidate for the role of a corrupted political leader, but as this excellent documentary clearly illustrates, even the most mild-mannered politician can chart the worst possible course when allowed too much power. Highly recommended. Aud: C, P. (P. Hall)