Peru's Fujimori to fly home early amid crisis, says minister

LIMA, Peru (Reuters) -- Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori will fly home early from a trade summit in Brunei to take charge of a political crisis raging at home, Agriculture Minister Jose Chlimper said on Wednesday.

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The news came shortly after the government denied rumors that he had sought political asylum in Malaysia. Fujimori is attending an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum.

"I have just spoken again with the (president's personal military) attache and he confirmed to me that the president says there has been no asylum," Chlimper told RPP radio.

"In the next five hours, he is returning (to Peru) via Tokyo. He has brought his return forward to deny all this in person," Chlimper said. It was not immediately known what time he would arrive in Peru.

A bribery scandal involving Fujimori's fugitive ex-spy chief Vladimiro Montesinos plunged Peru into political crisis two months ago, prompting the president to announce he would quit in July after elections four years early. Since then, even two ministers have said he may not last in office until July.

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