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March 25, 2026 – Peru –
A Peruvian court has sentenced former intelligence chief Vladimiro Montesinos to 20 years in prison for his role in the 1991 killing of journalist Melissa Alfaro, marking a significant development in one of the country’s long-standing cases of violence against the press.
The ruling found Montesinos guilty as the intellectual author behind the bombing that killed Alfaro, a journalist for the magazine Cambio, during the authoritarian government of former President Alberto Fujimori. Alfaro died when a parcel bomb exploded in an attack widely linked to state intelligence operations targeting critics during Peru’s internal conflict in the early 1990s.
The court determined that Montesinos orchestrated the attack as part of a broader campaign to silence journalists and opposition voices perceived as threats to the regime. In addition to Alfaro’s killing, he was also convicted of attempted aggravated homicide against several other figures, including a journalist and political figures targeted in related operations.
While the conviction has been welcomed by press freedom advocates and human rights organizations, questions remain over the full scope of accountability. In the same ruling, another defendant accused of directly carrying out the attack was acquitted, prompting criticism from legal observers and victims’ representatives who argue that not all those responsible have been brought to justice.
The case dates back more than three decades to a period marked by widespread human rights abuses, political violence, and systematic repression of dissent in Peru. During that time, journalists were frequently targeted through intimidation, surveillance, and violent attacks, often linked to state security structures operating with limited oversight.
Montesinos, once one of the most powerful figures in the country as Fujimori’s closest adviser, has already been convicted in multiple cases involving corruption, human rights violations, and abuse of power. This latest sentence adds to his long record of convictions tied to crimes committed during his tenure at the head of Peru’s intelligence apparatus.
For press freedom advocates, the ruling represents an important step toward accountability in a case that had remained unresolved for decades. However, they stress that justice remains incomplete without full accountability for all those involved in crimes against journalists, particularly in cases where state actors were implicated.
Reference –
Ex-Fujimori advisor convicted in killing of Peruvian journalist
