Peru's former president Fujimori suffers stroke, hospitalized

Fujimori, 75, was conscious and talking on Friday afternoon following a morning stroke in his jail cell, said doctor Juan Barreto with the Clinica La Luz in Lima where the former political leader is recovering.

"He suffered a very small cerebral infarction," Barreto told reporters. "He is a little bit delicate. There may be more serious consequences and he will remain hospitalized."

Barreto said that one of Fujimori's arms is numb and that he risks partial paralysis if his situation worsens.

Fujimori, who has been imprisoned since 2007 on charges of human rights abuses and corruption committed during his 1990-2000 term, often coordinates with members of his influential political party from his jail cell and criticizes President Ollanta Humala via Twitter and Facebook.

Humala rejected a pardon request from Fujimori last June after concluding he was not suffering from a terminal illness as claimed. Humala has said he could request a pardon again if his situation changed.

Fujimori's doctors have said he is suffering from depression and a cancerous growth on his tongue may reappear.

Fujimori, credited with beating back hyperinflation, was sentenced to 25 years in prison for ordering death squads to carry out two massacres when his government was hunting down presumed leftist insurgents. He was later convicted of corruption and abuse of power.

(Reporting by Reuters TV, Writing by Mitra Taj; Editing by Diane Craft)

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