Lima, Sep 12 (V7N) –Alberto Fujimori, the former president of Peru, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 86 after a prolonged battle with cancer. Fujimori died at his home in the capital city of Lima, his family confirmed in a statement. News of his death was first reported by AFP.

Fujimori, who ruled Peru from 1990 to 2000, was a deeply controversial figure, both for his economic reforms and the human rights abuses that occurred under his leadership. In 2007, he was sentenced to 25 years in prison for crimes against humanity, including orchestrating death squad killings and kidnappings during his presidency. He spent 16 years in prison before being released on humanitarian grounds last December due to his declining health.

His children, Keiko, Hiro, Sachie, and Kenji Fujimori, announced the death of their father on social media platform X, revealing that the former president had been suffering from cancer for an extended period. According to a source close to the family, Fujimori's health deteriorated after completing treatment for tongue cancer last August.

Fujimori was last seen in public just last Thursday, leaving a clinic in Lima where he had undergone a CT scan. His daughter, Keiko Fujimori, a prominent political figure in her own right, had mentioned only a month ago that her father had expressed interest in running in Peru's 2026 presidential elections, despite his ongoing health struggles.

Peruvian Prime Minister Gustavo Adriano offered his condolences to the Fujimori family, saying, "We want to tell his children and family members that we are saddened by his death."

Fujimori's legacy in Peru remains divisive, with many remembering him for stabilizing the economy during a time of crisis, while others condemn his presidency for its human rights violations and authoritarian tendencies.