After 17 years in prison, the brother of a former Peruvian president released
Antauro Humala, brother of former President Ollanta Humala, spent 17 and a half years in prison for launching an armed uprising that left six people dead.
Antauro Humala benefited from an early release for having “worked and studied” in prison, the Peruvian prison administration explained on Friday.
AFP
Former Peruvian rebel soldier Antauro Humala, brother of a former head of state, was released on Saturday following spending 17 and a half years in prison for launching an armed uprising that left six people dead. Former major in the Peruvian army, Antauro Humala, 59, was expected on leaving his prison north of Lima, by dozens of supporters who greeted him with cries of “Antauro, president”.
“Where are the presidents we rebelled once morest 17 years ago?” launched the former soldier on the megaphone, in an allusion to former heads of state Alejandro Toledo (2001-2006), once morest whom he rebelled in 2005, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (2016-2018) and his own brother Ollanta ( 2011-2016) all three of whom are under investigation for alleged corruption.
“Ethnocacerism”
Sentenced to 25 years in prison – a sentence reduced to 19 years in 2011 – Antauro Humala was granted early release for having “worked and studied” in prison, the Peruvian prison administration explained on Friday.
This former soldier, who professes “ethnocacérisme”, a form of Andean ultranationalism, had been condemned for a military uprising launched on January 1, 2005 which demanded the resignation of the then president, Alejandro Toledo. The rebellion killed six people, including four policemen and two reservists.
“We feel very proud of what we have done,” said Antauro Humala, upon leaving. “It is possible that he will return to political life, it is likely that he will stand for election,” said his lawyer, Carmen Huidobro. During his election campaign, the current left-wing president Pedro Castillo, in power for a year, had offered to pardon the ex-soldier but since then he has not spoken publicly on the subject.
AFP
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