Vicky Peláez
Encyclopedia
Virginia "Vicky" Peláez Ocampo (born 1956, Cuzco, Peru
) is a Peruvian journalist and columnist, currently for The Moscow News newspaper. She is known for her leftist writings in El Diario La Prensa
, a New York City
Spanish language
newspaper. Prior to working in the United States, Peláez was one of the first female television reporters in Peru where she reported for Frecuencia Latina
.
and often placed herself in the stories she was covering. The Peruvian magazine Teleguia called her "the most aggressive journalist on TV."
In 1984, Peláez and her cameraman Percy Raborg were kidnapped by the Peruvian rebel group Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement
(MRTA). MRTA demanded Frecuencia Latina air a propaganda video in exchange for the release of Peláez and Raborg. The station agreed to air the video and Peláez and Raborg were released hours after airing. Raborg has since claimed that Peláez was a willing participant in the kidnapping.
After moving to the United States, she worked for El Diario La Prensa for over 20 years. Her writings have been critical of United States foreign policy and supportive of Latin American leaders Hugo Chavez
and Fidel Castro
.
. The operations of this group was dubbed by American authorities as the "Illegals Program
" directed by Russia. Waldo Mariscal, the eldest son of Peláez, insisted the government is persecuting his parents for their political views.
On July 8, 2010, Peláez pleaded guilty to working in the United States as an unregistered foreign agent for Russia, and agreed to be deported
and never return, in exchange for the U.S. dropping the more serious charge of money laundering
and waiving any jail time. According to her lawyer, Peláez was placed in a Moscow
apartment provided by Russian authorities. She turned down a US$
2000 per month offer from the Russian government and is planning to return to Peru, which may take her at least a month. Her husband's lawyer stated that Vasenkov also wanted to leave Moscow for Peru: "He says he's Juan Lazaro and he's not from Russia and doesn't speak Russian. He wants to be where his wife is going, to her native country, where it will be easier for Juan Jr. to visit. His family comes first."
Since August 2011, Vicky Peláez contributes to The Moscow News
Peru
Peru , officially the Republic of Peru , is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean....
) is a Peruvian journalist and columnist, currently for The Moscow News newspaper. She is known for her leftist writings in El Diario La Prensa
El Diario La Prensa
El Diario la Prensa is the largest and oldest Spanish-language daily newspaper in New York City, and the oldest Spanish-language daily in the United States. Published by ImpreMedia, the paper covers local, national and international news with an emphasis on Latin America, as well as human-interest...
, a New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
newspaper. Prior to working in the United States, Peláez was one of the first female television reporters in Peru where she reported for Frecuencia Latina
Frecuencia Latina
Frecuencia Latina , better known as Channel 2, is a Peruvian television network. The network was founded on May 31, 1962 by the Cavero Family Group who turned the station into a network filled with musical programs and variety shows...
.
Career
As a reporter in the 1980s, Peláez gained a reputation as a sensationalistSensationalism
Sensationalism is a type of editorial bias in mass media in which events and topics in news stories and pieces are over-hyped to increase viewership or readership numbers...
and often placed herself in the stories she was covering. The Peruvian magazine Teleguia called her "the most aggressive journalist on TV."
In 1984, Peláez and her cameraman Percy Raborg were kidnapped by the Peruvian rebel group Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement
Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement
The Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement was a Marxist revolutionary group active in Peru from the early 1980s to 1997 and one of the main actors in the internal conflict in Peru...
(MRTA). MRTA demanded Frecuencia Latina air a propaganda video in exchange for the release of Peláez and Raborg. The station agreed to air the video and Peláez and Raborg were released hours after airing. Raborg has since claimed that Peláez was a willing participant in the kidnapping.
After moving to the United States, she worked for El Diario La Prensa for over 20 years. Her writings have been critical of United States foreign policy and supportive of Latin American leaders Hugo Chavez
Hugo Chávez
Hugo Rafael Chávez Frías is the 56th and current President of Venezuela, having held that position since 1999. He was formerly the leader of the Fifth Republic Movement political party from its foundation in 1997 until 2007, when he became the leader of the United Socialist Party of Venezuela...
and Fidel Castro
Fidel Castro
Fidel Alejandro Castro Ruz is a Cuban revolutionary and politician, having held the position of Prime Minister of Cuba from 1959 to 1976, and then President from 1976 to 2008. He also served as the First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba from the party's foundation in 1961 until 2011...
.
Illegals Program
In June 2010, Peláez, along with her husband Mikhail Anatolyevich Vasenkov (Михаил Анатольевич Васенков, alias Juan Lazaro) and 9 others, was arrested on charges of conspiracy to act as an agent of a foreign government without notifying the U.S. Attorney GeneralUnited States Attorney General
The United States Attorney General is the head of the United States Department of Justice concerned with legal affairs and is the chief law enforcement officer of the United States government. The attorney general is considered to be the chief lawyer of the U.S. government...
. The operations of this group was dubbed by American authorities as the "Illegals Program
Illegals Program
The Illegals Program, as it was called by the United States Department of Justice, was a network of Russian sleeper agents under non-official cover whose investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation culminated in the arrest of ten agents and a prisoner swap between Russia and the United...
" directed by Russia. Waldo Mariscal, the eldest son of Peláez, insisted the government is persecuting his parents for their political views.
On July 8, 2010, Peláez pleaded guilty to working in the United States as an unregistered foreign agent for Russia, and agreed to be deported
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
and never return, in exchange for the U.S. dropping the more serious charge of money laundering
Money laundering
Money laundering is the process of disguising illegal sources of money so that it looks like it came from legal sources. The methods by which money may be laundered are varied and can range in sophistication. Many regulatory and governmental authorities quote estimates each year for the amount...
and waiving any jail time. According to her lawyer, Peláez was placed in a Moscow
Moscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
apartment provided by Russian authorities. She turned down a US$
United States dollar
The United States dollar , also referred to as the American dollar, is the official currency of the United States of America. It is divided into 100 smaller units called cents or pennies....
2000 per month offer from the Russian government and is planning to return to Peru, which may take her at least a month. Her husband's lawyer stated that Vasenkov also wanted to leave Moscow for Peru: "He says he's Juan Lazaro and he's not from Russia and doesn't speak Russian. He wants to be where his wife is going, to her native country, where it will be easier for Juan Jr. to visit. His family comes first."
Afterwards
On 19 February 2011, it was reported Vicky Peláez returned home to attend her father's burial; she was not accompanied by husband Mikhail Vasenkov.Since August 2011, Vicky Peláez contributes to The Moscow News