OPPOSITION, CITIZENS UPSET BY PERU SPY CHIEF'S ESCAPE

LIMA, Peru -- Outraged opposition parties called for President Alberto
Fujimori's resignation Monday for letting Peruvian spy-master Vladimiro
Montesinos escape into exile in Panama rather than face trial in Peru for
his alleged involvement in torture, death squads, drug trafficking and
electoral fraud.

The Andean nation's political crisis escalated with two important
congressmen -- Fernan Altuve and Joaqin Ormeno -- throwing in the towel
and quitting Fujimori's party late Monday. Two other lawmakers had resigned
over the weekend, and two more are reportedly ready to quit.

Although Fujimori has vowed to stay in office until July 28, calls for a
caretaker government are growing. His shrinking legislative majority -- now
three -- makes political paralysis likely.

Montesinos touched off the crisis Sept. 14, when a videotape was leaked to
the media showing him allegedly paying a congressman $15,000 to switch
parties and join the government coalition in congress. Fujimori responded
days later by saying he was morally obliged to call new elections in which
he would not participate. He pledged a thorough investigation, but instead
allowed Montesinos to leave over the weekend without facing charges.

``Democracy is not strengthened by impunity,'' Sofia Macher, head of the
umbrella civic organization Human Rights Coordinating Committee, told
reporters as she quit crisis-resolution talks Monday held by the
Organization of American States.

She criticized OAS Secretary General Cesar Gaviria and the governments of
Brazil and Chile, which joined to pressure Panama to accept Montesinos.
Their reputed motive was to stave off a possible coup by military leaders
loyal to the spy chief.

Far from deserving safe haven in Panama, ``Vladimiro Montesinos is not a
politically persecuted person,'' said Jorge del Castillo, an opposition
lawmaker and participant in the OAS talks. He called on Fujimori to bring
charges against Montesinos or resign.

Lima Mayor Alberto Andrade, a possible candidate in new presidential
elections, told reporters Monday the exile of Montesinos meant Peru had
lost a chance to teach a lesson to all politicians.

``This is a symbol that here nothing will happen'' to politicians who
commit crimes, Andrade said.

The OAS talks, hung up over Montesinos' exile, broke off shortly after
midday Monday, leaving the timetable for new elections unresolved. Talks
are to resume this afternoon.

Fujimori, who had promised last week to issue a decree certifying that
Montesinos had been removed from all government functions, further outraged
his foes Monday by delivering far less.

Fujimori's decree said only that Montesinos had resigned Sept. 14 -- not
been fired -- and praised him for leading Peru's anti-terrorism and
counter-narcotics efforts. Fujimori thanked his top ally for ``the
importance he has lent to the nation.''

Rising energy prices, rising taxes and high unemployment are part of the
problem. But average Peruvians were outraged, too, by the easy escape of a
man they'd recently seen on TV allegedly bribing a lawmaker to switch to
Fujimori's party.

``The politicians have lost sight of our problems and are only thinking
about themselves,'' said Hilda Bello, 54, who voted for Fujimori because he
was ``the lesser evil'' among candidates. ``The problem is jobs. That's the
issue because there is no work. We will vote again, but it won't matter.''

That view was shared by newspaper vendor David Mina, 21, who said the
political crisis will only exacerbate the country's economic troubles.

``I talk to people every day who cannot find work. Everyone says that the
political crisis will make things more difficult,'' Mina said, blaming
Fujimori for the country's woes.

``Fujimori talks about beating terrorism and inflation. That's fine, no one
denies this. But he has gotten us into this problem. He is the one who let
Montesinos do these things. Now we will all pay the price for the broken
dishes.''