Peru’s justice minister removed amid scandal over pardoning of convicted media executive

Peru president fires justice minister amid scandal

LIMA, Peru — President Alan Garcia fired Peru’s justice minister Tuesday amid questions over the pardoning of a former media executive convicted of taking payoffs to provide favorable coverage for a previous government.

Officials gave reporters a decree signed by Garcia that removed Aurelio Pastor from the post.

Some media outlets and opposition politicians had called for Pastor’s resignation for defending the release from prison of 77-year-old Jose Enrique Crousillat, the ex-majority owner of America Television’s Channel 4.

Crousillat was sentenced in 2006 to eight years in prison for taking payoffs from now-jailed intelligence chief Vladimiro Montesinos to run favorable news about President Alberto Fujimori in the 1990s.

Crousillat complained of heart problems and was granted a presidential pardon for humanitarian reasons in December. But following his release, Crousillat was seen in apparently good health in restaurants and exclusive beaches in Lima.

Garcia revoked the pardon Saturday and a judge ordered the arrest of Crousillat, whose whereabouts were unknown late Tuesday.

Before being removed as minister, Pastor accused the owners of the El Comercio media group of running a campaign to drive him from office. He said the campaign threatened Peru’s democracy.

Montesinos, who is serving a 15-year prison sentence, was the behind-the-scenes power broker during Fujimori’s 10-year government, which fell in 2000 amid a corruption scandal.