Peru lawmaker Keiko Fujimori’s husband, American-born Mark Vito Villanilla, became a Peruvian citizen in early April after having his naturalization request approved, Radio Radio Programas, or RPP, reported Monday.
If Keiko Fujimori were to take up residence again in the Government Palace as commander and chief, Vito would become Peru’s first foreign-born gentleman. Previous first ladies, including Peru President Alan García’s wife, Pilar Nores, and former President Alejandro Toledo’s wife, Elian Karp, were born in Argentina and Belgium respectively, and later became naturalized citizens. Keiko Fujimori and Vito, 32, have been married for the past five years.
Keiko Fujimori is a 33 year-old business administrator and is the probable presidential candidate for Fujimori’s right-wing party “Alliance for the Future”. Her father, jailed former President Alberto Fujimori, was sentenced to 25 years imprisonment this month, following a verdict of guilty on four counts of human rights violations.
Since Fujimori was found guilty on all charges for sanctioning a paramilitary death squad that gunned down 25 people in two notorious massacres during the first two years of his 10-year authoritarian rule, Keiko Fujimori’s popularity has shot up from 19 to 25 percent. She now leads the pack ahead of the 2011 presidential race, though political analysts say Fujimori’s upcoming trial for corruption charges is likely to bring down her approval levels.
Keiko Fujimori has promised to grant her father amnesty if she wins the 2011 presidential elections.
