Peruvian minister believed to have asked Chile to hand over Fujimori

Peruvian Interior Minister Romulo Pizarro visited Santiago on Monday where he is believed to have asked the Chilean government to hand over former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, who was arrested by Chilean police earlier in the day.

Pizarro met with his Chilean counterpart, Francisco Vidal, and is believed to have made a formal request for the extradition. Fujimori arrived in the Chilean capital from Tokyo on Sunday to prepare for the 2006 presidential election in Peru.

Fujimori, meanwhile, has applied for bail, saying his arrest is unfair, according to the Chilean judicial authorities.

Fujimori is wanted on various charges in Peru, including involvement in the murder of 25 citizens by a death squad connected with Peru's intelligence service while he was in office from 1990 to 2000.

Source: Agencies