Moises Wolfenson

Who was Moises Wolfenson?

Moises Wolfenson is a former Peruvian congressman who, together with his brother Alex, was convicted on embezzlement and conspiracy charges and sentenced on 15 February 2005 to 5 years in prison for being in charge of the "chicha press" during the government of ousted President Alberto Fujimori.

According to the lawsuit, during Fujimori's presidency, this "chicha press" highlighted the President's good works and tried to destroy his opponents with defamatory front-page headlines. This "chicha press," comprising about 15 sensasionalist newspapers, followed instructions of the former head of the National Intelligence Service, Vladimiro Montesinos. The idea, carried out with success, was to maintain popular approval of Fujimori's government by destroying political opposition candidates and politicians. Once Fujimori resigned, many of the newspapers closed, but some, such as La Razón and El Chino survived. La Razón', still owned by Moises Wolfenson, opposes President Alejandro Toledo's government, and it is said that is now the main platform and vehicle for Fujimori's messages from Japan. "La Razón" contends that the Wolfensons were convicted without sufficient proof and that their sentence is in effect political revenge.