SEIB: 1. PERU: CAPTURE A BOON TO FUJIMORI2. PERU: SL LEADER CAPTURED

Created: 7/15/1999

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

PASSI62CX. IS9

Peru:oon to Fujimori

President Fujimori, who appears intent on seeking an unprecedented third consecutivenext year's election, will reap significant political benefits from the capture onScndcro Luminoso (SL) leader Oscar Ramirez Durand. Fujimori traveled to Juninto oversee the final stages of tbe operation and made the public announcementcapture personally yesterday morning.President's

role was carefully orchestrated to bighlight his determination to eradicate Peruvian terrorism.

Fujimori's string of successes against SL and the smaller Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement0 constitutes one of his administration's most notable achievements and has helped boost his popularity. The two insurgencies have left more0 Peruvians deadhen SL launched its first armed action.

capture alsootential thorn in Fujimori's side as the campaign gets underpate of attacks by SL units in May and last month served to remind the public that Fujimori had not yet fulfilled his oft-stated goal of climmatmg remairun andhas previously sought to disruptwould have stepped up actions as die vote nearcdj "1

Lima also will try to use the arrest to burnish the image of Fujimori's controversial national security adviser Vladirniro Montesinos, who controls the National Intelligence Service (SDN) and isey role In Fnjiroori's reelection efforts.

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Leader Captured

Peruvian authentic* yesterday captured Sendero Luminoso leader Ramirez,anhunt byecurity personnel The arrest of Rjnurez. who has led the SI- since die capture2 of its founder Guzman,erious blow to the already uiling organization.

With Ramirez out of Ihe picture, the Sl.'s commander In the Upper Huallaga Valley, Gabriel Macario. probably will he recognized by the group as its sole

President Fujimori carefully orchestrated his role,

goingunin Department to oversee the final Mages of the openition and making the public announcement of Ramirez's capture, which he could use loid for an unprecedented third term in next year's election. Fujimori's suing ofgainst SL and the smaller Tupac Amaru Revolutionary Movement are one of his atlminisiration's moat notable achievements and has helped boost his popularity^

-TnpSiici>e* -

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