Former Head of government in Sweden, Göran Persson, is attracting some attention in the country for acting against his ideology, or rather, to completely shed the image of a proud working man's son, which may or may not have been more appropriate for his role as party leader of the Social democrats, for that of an entrepreneur in the private sector. He is now travelling the country as a rent-a-speaker à 100,000 SEK per speech, excluding attendance at the usually subsequent dinner (à 5,000 SEK per hour extra, allegedly). Riding high on his social network and personal fame, he is truly making the most of post-party life. Certain editorial comments suggest it was all to be expected from someone who has had a first-degree contact with power. And looking at other countries, we might consider us lucky.
In Peru, no one would probably bat an eyelid at the dealings of the Swedish ex-prime minister. However, they have finally had some good news: the decision to send Fujimori home has finally been taken in Chile. And no, we are not talking about Japan, where he long enjoyed a very enviable favour with the powers that be, the man is going back to Lima, where he will face at least 7 different charges for involvment in massacres.
Yesterday on Travel and living, I also spotted someone who, in some people's view, was one of the meakest presidents Peru has ever had; Alejandro Toledo. The man who came to power thanks to the fall of Fujimori and himself playing on his Andean origins, was guiding an American around Machu Pichu. I was thoroughly disgusted as he, as an ex-president, took the liberty of climbing under the string barrier protecting I think it's a sun-dial from the eroding touch of every tourist ever to set his foot there, taking the American with him.
Presidential prerogatives - if it's not one thing, it's the other.
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