Resolution on Peru

Meeting of the Socialist International Committee for Latin America and the Caribbean, Kingston, Jamaica, 1-2 September 2000

Original: Spanish

The representatives of the member parties of the Socialist International, meeting in Kingston, Jamaica, 1-2 September 2000, issue the following resolution regarding the situation with respect to democracy in Peru.

Considering:

That the electoral process of 9 April and 28 May 2000 in Peru is considered fraudulent by the international political community, raising questions as to the legitimacy of the third term of office of the leader, Alberto Fujimori, in violation of the Peruvian constitution;

That even the OAS Observer Mission, led by Ambassador Eduardo Stein, withdrew from Peru before the second round of elections, in view of severe irregularities that occurred during the electoral process;

That owing to disturbances, which occurred on 28 July in Lima, Peru, the Peruvian government has started a series of actions amounting to political persecution against the leaders of the democratic parties, and particularly against the presidential candidate, Dr. Alejandro Toledo, and the Secretary General of the Peruvian Aprista Party, PAP, Dr. Jorge Del Castillo, bringing legal action against them and threatening the latter with exclusion from the Congress;

That Resolution 1753 of the General Assembly of the OAS put forward at Windsor, Canada, created a high-level OAS commission made up of the Canadian foreign minister, Lloyd Axworthy, and Secretary General, Dr. César Gaviria, who have designated Dr. Eduardo Latorre, former foreign minister of the Dominican Republic as Permanent Secretary of this Mission to Peru;

That the democratic parties, including our full member, the Peruvian Aprista Party, PAP, have reported that the dialogue initiated is being undermined by actions on the part of the regime;

That a main theme of this Committee is "Defending and strengthening democracy - the social democratic commitment"

Have agreed:

1. To support the political dialogue developing in Peru under the auspices of the OAS and to promote the efforts undertaken by the high-level OAS Mission and its Permanent Secretary, Dr. Eduardo Latorre, in seeking consensus between the government, the democratic opposition and Peruvian civil society, in order to restore full respect for the constitutional framework and institutions of Peru;

2. To ensure that the above-mentioned dialogue results in consensual decisions on each of the 29 points of the agenda proposed by the OAS and accepted by the political community. This dialogue must give priority to matters relating to the restoration of the fundamental rights of individuals and the process of democratic reform that, in time, should be worthy of ratification, through consultation with the people and the holding of free and fair elections;

3. To reiterate the solidarity of the Socialist International with all democratic efforts in Peru and with the Peruvian Aprista Party, PAP, and its Secretary General, Dr. Jorge Del Castillo, who have been the victims of hostility of the regime. To demand that the Peruvian government put an end to persecution of the former presidential candidate, Dr. Alejandro Toledo, and of all citizens peacefully exercising their democratic rights in support of democracy.