Peru: Information on the current situation of the APRA party and its members

Please find attached several articles that report on the situation of the Alianza Popular Revolucionaria Americana (APRA) political party since 1993, including its internal divisions and conflicts, its standing in the most recent electoral process, and references to its congressional representatives and leadership. These documents add to the information provided in previous Responses to Information Requests, such as PER14041 of 6 May 1993 and PER14042 of 7 May 1993.

One of the attached documents reports on the conclusion of a judicial process against former ministers of the APRA government, stating that two of them received a "four-year conditional prison sentence" and a fine for charges related to the improper use of currency exchange provisions, while the other two were acquitted (El Peruano 3 Feb. 1994).

Response to Information Request PER14041 refers to judicial processes against Agustin Mantilla, former minister of the interior in the APRA government, and against former president Alan Garcia. The articles attached with this Response also contain references to Agustin Mantilla: one reports his release after several months of detention (Expreso 7 July 1993), and later ones refer to him as "president of the executive committee" (ibid. 10 Sept. 1994), and until the mid-year national party congress as "national organization committee secretary" and secretary general candidate (La Republica 12 July 1994). The attached documents also contain references to Alan Garcia; although several refer to his residency abroad, references to the expiration of charges pending against him in Peru could not be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

The most recent published reference to APRA found among the sources consulted states:

Whether the traditional parties, such as AP and APRA, can ever make much electoral impact again remains a moot point. Nothing is forever in politics, and APRA, in particular, has shown a remarkable resilience to Fujimori's ferocious attacks on the corruption and inefficiency of the old political parties, retaining both its organization and its contacts with 'progressive' elements in the media and intellectual circles. The main organ of this tendency is the 'centre-left' newspaper La Republica (Latin American Weekly Report 9 Sept. 1997, 428).

The same publication had previously reported the recent "reappearance" of APRA amid opposition demonstrations in mid-1997, stating that "APRA, too, has shown more vigour than for many years, with congressman Jorge del Castillo relishing the opportunity to mingle with the crowds of protesters in Plaza Bolivar" (ibid. 10 June 1997).

Please consult the attached documents for additional recent information on APRA, a number of which refer to internal divisions, factional conflicts, organization problems and desertion of members from the party.

This Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum.

References

El Peruano [Lima, in Spanish]. 3 February 1994. "Former APRA Ministers Sentenced for Crimes Against State." (FBIS-LAT-94-028 10 Feb. 1994, p. 51)

Expreso [Lima, in Spanish]. 10 September 1994. "APRA Militants in Interior To Resign in Protest." (FBIS-LAT-94-189 29 Sept. 1994, p. 41)

_____. 7 July 1993. "Former APRA Interior Minister Released After 15 Months." (FBIS-LAT-93-142 27 July 1993, pp. 78-79)

La Republica [Lima, in Spanish]. 12 July 1994. "APRA Dissident Faction Questions Mantilla's Candidacy." (FBIS-LAT-94-141 22 July 1994, pp. 49-50)

Latin American Weekly Report [London]. 9 September 1997. "Scramble to Forge New Alliances."

_____. 10 June 1997. "'Fed Up' Citizens Take To The Streets; Marches Unite Opposition Groups Against Fujimori." (NEXIS)

Attachments

America Television Network [Lima, in Spanish]. 9 April 1995. "Interviewed on Projected Victory" (includes preliminary results of the day's general elections). (FBIS-LAT-95-068 10 Apr. 1995, pp. 49-50)

Caretas [Lima, in Spanish]. 17 June 1993. "APRA Secretary General Unable To Reorganize CEN." (FBIS-LAT-93-123 29 June 1993, pp. 45-46)

DESCO [Lima, in Spanish]. 7 December 1995. "Internal Dissent Marks APRA Congress." (FBIS-LAT-95-243 19 Dec. 1995, pp. 56-57)

DPA [Hamburg, in Spanish]. 6 April 1993. "APRA Members Stage Disturbances in Lima." (FBIS-LAT-93-064 6 Apr. 1993, pp. 40-41)

EFE [Madrid, in Spanish]. 20 October 1995. "APRA Command Chief Resigns for 'Lack of Support'." (FBIS-LAT-95-204 23 Oct. 1995, p. 65)

El Comercio [Lima, in Spanish]. 14 November 1993. "APRA 'Internal Crisis' Continues With New Expulsions." (FBIS-LAT-93-227 29 Nov. 1993, p. 79)

_____. 4 August 1993. "APRA Minister Admits 'Mistakes' in Handling of Public Funds." (FBIS-LAT-93-155 13 Aug. 1993, p. 39)

_____. 26 May 1993. "Article Assesses Outcome of APRA Plenary Session." (FBIS-LAT-93-106 4 June 1993, p. 44)

_____. 14 April 1993. "Prosecution Begun Against Alan Garcia; Arrest Ordered." (FBIS-LAT-93-081 29 Apr. 1993, p. 38)

_____. 30 March 1993. "Struggle Within APRA Increasing in North, Central Regions." (FBIS-LAT-93-070 14 Apr. 1993, p. 37)

El Peruano [Lima, in Spanish]. 3 February 1994. "Former APRA Ministers Sentenced for Crimes Against State." (FBIS-LAT-94-028 10 Feb. 1994, p. 51)

Expreso [Lima, in Spanish]. 6 November 1994. Victor Andres Ponce. "APRA Presidential Candidate Interviewed." (FBIS-LAT-94-221 16 Nov. 1994, pp. 37-39)

_____. 10 September 1994. "APRA Militants in Interior To Resign in Protest." (FBIS-LAT-94-189 29 Sept. 1994, p. 41)

_____. 17 July 1994. "APRA Leaders Move To Change Party Electoral System."  (FBIS-LAT-94-146 29 July 1994, p. 29)

_____. 15 April 1994. "Ex-President Garcia Reportedly To Reorganize APRA." (FBIS-LAT-94-082 28 Apr. 1994, p. 66)

_____. 23 February 1994. "APRA Leader Says Party Will Run in '95 Elections." (FBIS-LAT-94-048 11 Mar. 1994, p. 43)

_____. 8 July 1993. "APRA Expels 20 Followers for 'Treason'." (FBIS-LAT-93-141 26 July 1993, p. 38)

_____. 7 July 1993. "Former APRA Interior Minister Released After 15 Months." (FBIS-LAT-93-142 27 July 1993, pp. 78-79)

_____. 11 April 1993. "APRA Member Calls For New Leadership." (FBIS-LAT-93-081 29 Apr. 1993, pp. 38-39)

_____. 31 March 1993. "Secretariat Replaces Garcia as 'Top' APRA Leader." (FBIS-LAT-93-071 15 Apr. 1993, pp. 27-28)

FBIS Latin America Daily Report [Washington, DC]. Editorial Report. "Articles View APRA Crisis, Need To Renew Party." (FBIS-LAT-93-048 15 Mar. 1993, p. 49)

Global de Television Network [Lima, in Spanish]. 28 December 1993. "APRA Accepts A. Garcia's Resignation." (FBIS-LAT-93-248 29 Dec. 1993, p. 27)

_____. 25 May 1993. "Armando Villanueva Elected New APRA Secretary General." (FBIS-LAT-93-104 2 June 1993, p. 39)

La Republica [Lima, in Spanish]. 26 December 1994. "APRA Decides To Maintain Cabanillas' Candidacy." (FBIS-LAT-94-004 6 January 1995, pp. 55-56)

_____. 12 July 1994. "APRA Dissident Faction Questions Mantilla's Candidacy." (FBIS-LAT-94-141 22 July 1994, pp. 49-50)

_____. 16 June 1994. "APRA Leaders' One Goal: Fujimori's Defeat." (FBIS-LAT-94-126 30 June 1994, p. 24)

_____. 4 June 1994. "APRA Leader Rejects Dialogue With Government." (FBIS-LAT-94-116 16 June 1994, pp. 37-38)

_____. 30 May 1993. Mariela Balbi. "New APRA Secretary General Interviewed." (FBIS-LAT-93-111 11 June 1993, pp. 54-57)

Latin American Weekly Report [London]. 9 September 1997. "Scramble to Forge New Alliances," p. 428.

_____. 10 June 1997. "'Fed Up' Citizens Take To The Streets; Marches Unite Opposition Groups Against Fujimori." (NEXIS)

SI [Lima, in Spanish]. 31 May 1993. Santiago Pedraglio. "New APRA Secretary General Discusses Objectives." (FBIS-LAT-93-126 2 July 1993, pp. 39-42)

_____. 29 March 1993. "Reasons for APRA Leader's Resignation Noted." (FBIS-LAT-93-094 18 May 1993, pp. 30-31)