Máximo Agustín Mantilla Campos (December 10, 1944 – November 20, 2015) was a Peruvian economist, sociologist and politician. Considered by analysts as one of the most powerful political figures in Alan García's first administration, he served as Deputy Minister and subsequently as Minister of the Interior during the most tense years of the Peruvian internal conflict between the Peruvian government and the terrorist organizations, the Shining Path and the

Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement The Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement ( es, Movimiento Revolucionario Túpac Amaru, abbreviated MRTA) was a Peruvian Marxism-Leninism, Marxist-Leninist Guerrilla warfare, guerrilla group which started in the early 1980s. Their self-declared g ...

. Accused of leading a paramilitary

death squad A death squad is an armed group whose primary activity is carrying out extrajudicial killings or forced disappearances as part of political repression, genocide, ethnic cleansing, or revolutionary terror. Except in rare cases in which they are ...

organization in the late 1980s, he denied the existence and his involvement in the organization throughout his career until 2013, where he admitted to the execution of suspected terrorists. He was sentenced to six years in prison based on charges of corruption as he was caught on videotape receiving bribes in one of

Vladimiro Montesinos Vladimiro Lenin Ilich Montesinos Torres (born 20 May 1945) is a former long-standing head of Peru's intelligence service, National Intelligence Service (SIN), under President Alberto Fujimori. In the year 2000, the infamous "Vladi-videos" came ...

secret video recordings at the National Intelligence Service headquarters, in exchange for the Peruvian Aprista Party's support of President Alberto Fujimori's administration in 2000.

Early life and education

Mantilla was born in Lima on December 10, 1944. Upon finishing high school, he joined the Peruvian Aprista Party in October 1965, and from early on he was strongly linked with the party base of the

Pueblo Libre District Pueblo Libre (originally called La Magdalena or Old Magdalena to differentiate it from Magdalena del Mar District) is a district of the Lima Province in Peru. Its name, which means ''Free Town'' or ''Free People'', was granted by José de San Mart� ...

. He was admitted to the National University of San Marcos in 1965, where he graduated with a degree in economics. Afterwards, he enrolled in the

Inca Garcilaso de la Vega University , mottoeng = New times, new ideas , image_name = UIGV minilogo.png , image_size = 150px , caption = , established = 1964 , type = Private , city = Lima , state = , country = Peru ...

, where he studied Sociology.

Career

In 1970, he worked at the Fishing Consortium, in the fishmeal business; then in the fishmeal and fish oil trading company EPCHAP, and in Pescaperú.

Political career

Early political career

Upon finishing high school, he enrolled in the Peruvian Aprista Party in October 1965, and from early on he was strongly linked with the party base of the

. Following his experience in the fishing sector, he was introduced to the inner circle of the Peruvian Aprista Party. Upon meeting Alan García in 1977, he served as his Private Secretary from 1979 to 1985. From 1981 to 1983, he was a member of the District Council of Pueblo Libre. Between 1985 and 1989, he held the position of Deputy Minister of the Interior. He was briefly appointed Minister of the Presidency from March to May 1989, and as

Interior Minister An interior minister (sometimes called a minister of internal affairs or minister of home affairs) is a cabinet official position that is responsible for internal affairs, such as public security, civil registration and identification, emergency ...

from May 1989 to July 1990. During his tenure as Minister of the Interior, he was accused of leading the supposed paramilitary command "Rodrigo Franco", with the task of eliminating suspected terrorists. The organization has been classified as a government death squad authorized by Alan García's first administration, although no proof was found in the following investigations against Mantilla and the supposed Peruvian Army officials that were indicted members of the squad.

Congressman

In 1992, upon Alan García's request for political asylum granted by the

Colombian government The Government of Colombia is a republic with separation of powers into executive, judicial and legislative branches. Its legislature has a congress, its judiciary has a supreme court, and its executive branch has a president. The citiz ...

, Mantilla was chosen as his successor as Secretary General of the party, on December 1992. In his position as the highest ranking party leader at the

1995 Peruvian general election General elections were held in Peru on 9 April 1995,Dieter Nohlen (2005) ''Elections in the Americas: A data handbook, Volume II'', p454 the first under the 1993 constitution. Incumbent President Alberto Fujimori was easily re-elected with 64.4% ...

, Mantilla was elected to the newly unicameral

Peruvian Congress The Congress of the Republic of Peru ( es, Congreso de la República) is the unicameral body that assumes legislative power in Peru. Congress' composition is established by Chapter I of Title IV of the Constitution of Peru. Congress is compose ...

alongside 7 other representatives of his party. He was succeeded in the Secretariat by former Second Vice President and 1990 presidential nominee,

Luis Alva Castro Luis Juan Alva Castro (born 17 February 1942) is a Peruvian economist and politician. In his political career, he achieved the government positions of Second Vice President of Peru, Prime Minister of Peru, President of the Congress and among ...

. In the 2000 general election, Mantilla lost his seat as he attained a low number of votes.

Trial, corruption charges and conviction

Following his congressional tenure and the 2000 general election, it was revealed to the media that Mantilla received $30,000 USD from presidential advisor and Intelligence Chief

on March 13, 2000, destined for party funds in exchange for political support of Alberto Fujimori's regime. In 2002, the Supreme Court sentenced Mantilla to six years in prison for corruption charges in detriment of the Peruvian Government. Subsequently, he was expelled from the Peruvian Aprista Party. Upon his release from prison in 2006, Mantilla kept a low profile in the years to come. Cited by investigative committees relating to the paramilitary command he was accused of leading, he kept denying his involvement and the existence of such organization until 2013, when he admitted the existence of the organization, but without the government's knowledge or consent.

Death

Mantilla died on November 20, 2015, at his home in Pueblo Libre, due to diabetes at the age of 70.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mantilla, Agustin 1944 births 2015 deaths Politicians from Lima 20th-century Peruvian economists Peruvian sociologists American Popular Revolutionary Alliance politicians Members of the Congress of the Republic of Peru National University of San Marcos alumni Peruvian politicians convicted of crimes People convicted of bribery Inca Garcilaso de la Vega University alumni 20th-century Peruvian politicians