Former UN secretary-general, Javier Perez, is dead

Former United Nations secretary-general, Javier Perez de Cuellar, is dead.

Mr Perez de Cueller died on Wednesday, aged 100, his son said, according to the UN website.

He was known for his peace-making efforts, which included brokering a ceasefire in the Iran-Iraq war.

Mr Preze de Cuellar served as UN secretary-general from 1981 to 1991 when he was often described as a “pacifist by vocation and nature.”

“My dad died after a complicated week. He died at 8:09 pm tonight (0109 GMT Thursday) and is resting in peace,” his son Francisco Perez de Cuellar told RPP radio.

“He played a crucial role in ending the Iran-Iraq war, securing the release of American hostages held in Lebanon and in peace agreements in Cambodia and El Salvador,” the UN said.

The current UN chief Antonio Guterres said he was “profoundly saddened” at the passing of his predecessor.

“I extend my deepest condolences to Mr. Perez de Cuellar’s family, the Peruvian people and so many others around the world whose lives were touched by a remarkable and compassionate global leader who left our world a far better place,” he said.

Lost Victory

Mr. Perez de Cuellar was lauded by his countrymen as one of the most illustrious Peruvians of his era.

A veteran diplomat, lawyer and professor, he is the first and only Latin American to hold the top UN job so far.

In 1995, he lost a presidential election to the country’s former leader, Albert Fujimori.

During the election, Mr Perez de Cuellar won only 21.8 percent of the vote, while Mr Fujimori who got 64.4 percent became the president.

In 1997, informants revealed that Mr Perez de Cuellar had been subjected to systematic surveillance and phone tapping during the campaign, ordered by the head of Mr Fujimori’s intelligence services, Vladimiro Montesinos.

After the failed regime of Mr Fujimori in November 2000, Mr Perez de Cuellar became head of a government of “unity and national reconciliation.”