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a peruvian spy chief stumbles?
by Preston Peet (ptpeet@cs.com) - May 29, 2001

"As Peruvian General Cisneros once explained, 'It is necessary to kill 10 peasants to kill one guerrilla,'" quotes Dan Russell in his scathing book Drug War: Covert Money, Power, and Policy (Kalyx.com, 2000), describing the US War Against Some Drugs that is being conducted in Peru.

Now yet another powerful and repressive CIA-ally, a shining example of US Drug Czar General Barry McCaffery's favorite type of fiend, has fled his country.

At 11:45 PM, September 24, 2000, Peruvian Intelligence Chief Vladimiros Montesinos Torres, described by some as the "most reviled man in Peru," and the power behind the 10-year reign of President Alberto Fujimori, fled to Panama seeking asylum. Although the Panamanians were reluctant to allow in such a slimeball as Vladimiros Montesinos, US Undersecretary of State Thomas Pickering personally insisted that Panama allow Montesinos into the country, the Miami Herald newspaper claimed (September 26, 2000).

Montesinos was videotaped in May 2000, bribing a Peruvian opposition politician with $15,000 to support Fujimori. Montesinos shouldn't have needed to ask permission to enter Panama, since he holds an "Investor's visa," issued only to those who have at least $160,000 deposited within a Panamanian bank. The Miami Herald (September 26, 2000) revealed that Montesinos also owns the luxury condominium in Panama City where the Panamanian government was initially reported to have "lodged" the crooked spook. Somehow Montesinos has garnered his wealth without an official salary, or even a formal job, with the Fujimori government.

On July 28, 1990, Fujimori was elected with the help of the CIA-created National Intelligence Service (SIN). Montesinos, a graduate of the infamous School of the Americas (February 12, 1965), working with SIN, presented solutions to Fujimori to certain problems, earning "eternal" gratitude. Montesinos became Fujimoris's right-hand man, the power behind the throne, stomping human rights, and making millions off the drug trade while ostensibly working with the US/CIA to stamp out drug production.

By 1991 Montesinos banished the DEA from Peru by forming a SIN anti-drug unit, with CIA backing, thereby removing drug interdiction from DEA control handing it to the CIA. The DEA had that year issued a report accusing Montesinos of using his position to stack the military and government with allies, with the express aim of protecting narcotics trafficking.

Fujimori and Montesinos staged a coup in 1992 to enable themselves to temporarily suspend the Peruvian Constitution, and purge the armed forces and government of enemies.

On October 2, 1996, Gen. McCaffrey met Montesinos, lauding his praises of the killer publicly. Immediately afterwards, two US senators, Christopher Dodd, and Patrick Leahey, wrote then-CIA Director John Deutch insisting the CIA cut its ties to Montesinos, due to his trafficking, and human right violations, including massacres and torture by the death squad Grupo Colina.

Despite minor squawks of protest from the US after an obviously fixed election of Fujimori to his third term as President (May 2000) things were good for Montesinos. But in August 2000, news of a vast arms-drugs ring selling machineguns to FARC guerrillas in Colombia, first reported busted by Montesinos' spooks, turned out to be an operation Montesinos himself was involved in somehow.

On September 14, 2000, the video of him bribing the opposition official was made public. Montesinos went into hiding, amid cries for his arrest. On September 16, 2000, Fujimori decreed new elections, saying he will not run, and ordered SIN's dismantling. Days later, Fujimori said he would not relinquish power until July 28, 2001, raising fears of military takeover, while Montesinos flew to Panama.

As Montesinos basks in luxurious "exile" in Panama, 17 million out of the 25 million Peruvians suffer in abject poverty, the US wages its War Against Some Drugs. Another Latin American democracy stumbles.

The views expressed above represent the writer and not necessarily those of The Disinformation Company Ltd.

Protecting Traffickers, Not the Nation
This Prevailing Winds article (September 1997) outlines the massive amount of evidence that exists that Montesinos is connected to trafficking illicit drugs, and the US government and CIA know it, and have known it from the beginning of his CIA employment. Also discussed are many of the other drug trafficking murderers that the US and CIA have paid and protected.

The Peruvian Narco-State
This El Diario Internacional article (November 1994) from the Geopolitical Drug Observatory, Peru's reliance on drug profits is made abundantly clear. US Drug Czar Gen. Barry "Bloody Hands" McCaffrey is fond of holding up Peru as a glaring example of the "successes" of the War Against Some Drugs, but now is hopefully sweating bullets trying to figure out how to distance himself from Montesinos. This information has been in the public record, there is no way McCaffrey could not have known about Montesinos, yet he still insisted on calling them a co-operating friend of the US drug war efforts. Doesn't he get tired of looking and sounding like such an idiot?

Fujimori's Svengali
This absolutely illuminating essay by Gustavo Gorritti, a Peruvian journalist chased out of Peru by Montesinos after he published articles like this one detailing the stink wafting about Montesinos' very soul, points out just how closely the Peruvian SIN's corrupt, human rights-stomping, drug dealing anti-drug forces resembled the Haitian anti-drug force, both created and backed entirely by the American CIA. This was written before the 1995 election, but is still great for background on Montesinos.

Peru Busts Colombia Gun Smuggling Ring
This Reuters article by Jude Webber (August 21, 2000) outlines one of the early stories about a crucial Colombian arms smuggling ring bust.

The Revolution In Peru is Profoundly Liberating
Although this report, from the Committee to Support the Revolution (August 1992) is obviously biased, it gives incredible details about Peru's situation. The report details the role that the US has played from the Fujimori administration's beginnings.

Fujimori Appeals to U.S. For Help
This Miami Herald article (September 30, 2000) by Frank Davies and Andres Oppenheimer is back to the "temporary visa" story for Montesinos, but as we know that isn't quite right. Still, this has lots of info about Fujimori's trip to the U.S., seeking help in sheltering Montesinos somewhere out of the way.

Explosive News Rocks Peru
This High Times article (September 18, 2000) by Peter Goprman gives some of the best background problems with all the various versions of the drug-arms-FARC ring that Montesinos, and Fujimori, have used at different times to bolster their positions in Peru. Lori Berenson, an American who was sentenced by military court in Peru for aiding a guerilla force and other crimes against Peru, is also discussed. Now, Berenson is to get a new trial, another ploy by Fujimori to try and deflect the public's attention.

Gallery of Peruvian Torturers and Killers: Vladimiros Montesinos Torres
Great biography of the scumbag Montesinos. This article reveals his links to incidents of human rights violations, whilst receiving US support and money. Montesinos is still receiving U.S. aid, considering Pickering's having urged Panama so strenuously to allow Montesinos to enter Panama, or so the official story goes. Even if it isn't true, they are saying it, openly continuing top link themselves to this killer drug trafficking spook.

Drug War: SIN
his is a chapter excerpt from Dan Russell's magnum opus Drug War-Covert Money, Power, and Policy (Kalyx.com, 2000). I'd never tell anyone to buy only one book, but if you do this, definately buy Russell's. Then buy another copy or two and give them to relatives or neighborhood police officers and convince them to read it. Maybe it will change their minds about supporting the evil War Against Some Drugs.

Drug Czars Meet In Peru
Here is a good hard look at just how dirty Montesinos and his cronies in the Peruvian circles of power for the last ten years really are, and yet Gen. Barry "Blind For The Drug War" McCaffrey and his Drug Warrior chums just couldn't or wouldn't see that. Now McCaffrey has egg all over his face, and blood all over his hands. Again.

Long Strange Trip of Peru's Chief
This United Press International analysis (September 27, 2000) by Drew Benson gives some great background on Montesino's career, from the beginnings to his probable end.

Videotape Stuns U.S.
This Miami Herald article (September 16, 2000) by Jane Bussey reveals what started Montesinos on the latest leg of his long strange trip: the leaking of a video showing him bribing an opposition politician, in a video his office apparently produced.

Questions Over Peruvian Spy Chief's Role In Gunrunning to Colombia
This Associated Press article (September 30, 2000) details the more serious scandal in Peru involving Montesinos, in which it seems that he was involved in selling arms to FARC guerrillas in neighboring Colombia. The War Against Some Drugs does nothing but perpetuate the overwhelming systemic corruption.

Corruption and Cocaine Trafficking Booming Under Fujimori
This Newbriefs (March 1993) article details the rampant drug trafficking that was going on within a year of Fujimori and Montesinos anti-coup in 1992. These two are not good people.

Montesinos: Top CIA Hitman In Peru
This is a reprint from the Committee to Support the Revolution in Peru's newspaper, The Revolutionary Worker (July 9, 1995). The article reveals the sordid details about Montesinos.

Panama Feared Coup Attempt In Peru Over Ex-Spy Chief's Asylum Request
This CNN report (September 26, 2000) outlines the troubles caused by Montesinos wherever he goes. This page it has so much to look at, in full color. But there's no real analysis of the facts behind the Peruvian mess.

Peru Creditors May Turn Up Heat Over Missed Payment
This is an interesting Reuters article (September 27, 2000) about how the Wall Street moneylender types seem tobe forcing Peru to look for alternative ways of making money to repay loans, perhaps by replanting that old standby, coca? Ecuador defaulted in 1999 over the same type of loan (a Brady Package). These are US government backed bonds that were written in 1996 to bolster already bad loans.

A Peruvian Puzzle
This short San Francisco Chronicle article (September 20, 2000) postulates on how President Fujimori's announcement that he will not run in the new elections he has called, which immediately drawing "jubilation" in Peru, has given cause for fresh worries that the Peruvian military may "interfere" in any elections perceived as eroding its control.

Disgraced Peru Spy Chief Flees to Panama
This Reuters article (September 24, 2000) by Jude Webber, with help from Shasta Darlington and Tim Gaynor, outlines Montesinos fleeing to Panama and seeking asylum. This is one of the early versions of his Panama excursion, and the story changes periodically, depending upon your source.

Ex-Spy Chief Flees Peru
This Financial Times report (September 24, 2000) by Paul Keller, mentions Montesinos leaving Peru for Panama.

Fujimori Moves to Disband Spy Agency
This Associated Press article (September 23, 2000) reports on Fujimori trying to figure out how to do away with Montesino's spy agency without doing himself any more damage. Which is patently impossible, although the Peruvians did pass a resolution calling for Montesinos to be fired.

Arms Dealer Implicates Peru Spy Chief In Smuggling Ring
In this Los Angeles Times article (November 1, 2000) the ties to US intelligence and law enforcement of the disgraced Montesinos, now supposedly hiding somewhere in Peru, are displayed for all the world to see. The Los Angeles Times, which vilified Gary Webb for his CIA-drugs story Dark Alliance, tries to say that the case "may never be clarified." Yet the War Against Some Drugs continues, with the utterly duplicitous Plan Colombia sending $1.3 billion to fight the rebels Montesinos sold 50,000 AK-47 automatic rifles.

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