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Peru's Fujimori Confirms Resignation
Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori confirmed his resignation in a letter addressed to President of Congress Valentin Paniagua on Monday.
In the letter from Japan, Fujimori said he must formally resign in order to invite an orderly transition of the government while maintaining the economy.
He said that he is the first to recognize the new political scenario in the country, including a new correlation of forces in parliament. His resignation came after a motion was tabled in parliament to remove him from the presidency.
"I am conscious as well that a confrontation may arise in this state institution, despite my initiative to cut the presidential term and to hold elections in strict obedience to the promise I made in September," he wrote.
Fujimori, who won the elections in May for a third term, had to announce in September that new elections would be held and he himself would not run. He also pledged to step down in July 2001 to make way for the new president.
He made the announcement among a political crisis when a video tape was released showing that Fujimori's close aide, spy master Vladimiro Montesinos, was apparently bribing a congressmen to support Fujimori in May elections.
Fujimori, an ethnic Japanese, arrived in Japan after attending an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Brunei, allegedly for negotiations with Tokyo over economic aid.
He announced earlier Monday in Japan that he would resign within 48 hours. His trip to Japan triggered speculation at home that he would stay there for good. It is not clear at this moment whether he would return to Peru.
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