Fernando Zevallos
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Fernando Melciades Zevallos Gonzales is the founder and owner of what was Peru's largest airline, Aero Continente. The airline operated from 1992 until 2004, but was forced to close that year after Mr Zevallos was added to America's list of drugs kingpins and Aero Continente placed on a blacklist of companies with links to drugs-traffickers. The moves prevented American companies from doing business with the airline. This meant that Aero Continente could neither buy spare parts for its US-built planes or insure them. It quickly collapsed.
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[edit] Youth
Fernando Zevallos was born on July 8th 1957, in the province Marceles Cáceres, Department of San Martin, Peru; he is the second of seven children. His father, Don Dioscóro Zevallos, was a Civil Engineer, who in that time was involved in the supervision of the construction of hospitals in the Peruvian forest for the Ministry of Health of Peru. Six days after Fernando’s birth, the Zevallos family returned to Lima, where it remained during his childhood and adulthood.
Fernando spent part of his studies at a religious school in Lima. He finished high-school at the Leoncio Prado Military school in December 1974. That year, Fernando gained a scholarship through the French Embassy to study Nuclear Engineering at the University of Grenovia. Despite this, his father, Dioscóro, convinced him to apply to the Air Force Academy, so that he would stay in Peru. In February 1975 Fernando gained admission to the Academy. He became a pilot and got his first taste of the aviation business.
Fernando's father, Dioscóro Zevallos, died in September of 1975 of a diabetic coma while he was supervising the construction of hospitals in the interior of the country. He left a small fortune to his widow and children, which came about from savings, life insurance and a government pension.
In 1976, after two years of aeronautical education, Fernando retired from the Peruvian Air Force to look after his father's estate and to take care of his younger siblings.
[edit] Business Start
In 1978, the Peruvian government began a campaign of tax incentives for companies that invested in the Peruvian jungle. The Zevallos family decided to incorporate an “air taxi” company called TAUSA, with the aim of offering aerial services to the villages of the Peruvian Jungle which were not served by suitable terrestrial transport.
After the closure of TAUSA airlines and due to the uncertainty and lack of security in Peru due to terrorism, Fernando Zevallos emigrated to the United States. At the end of 1994, after having lived between Peru and United States., the American government, granted Fernando permanent residence to him and his family. They settled permanently in the US, prompting Fernando to give up his shares of Aero Continente. He left the company in January of 1995. His company was later contracted by Aero Continente as an adviser.
Aero Continente grew to become one of Peru's leading airlines. But on the eve of 2004's Copa America in Peru, Aero Continente was grounded. Persistent allegations of money-laundering and drugs-trafficking had dogged the company for years. The US authorities then added Zavallos to its list of drugs kingpins. Unable to secure insurance for his fleet, Aero Continente was grounded.
As an aside, arch-rival Lan, which had long-complained of Aero Continente's allegedly below-cost tickets for travel between Chile and Peru, was grounded shortly after by a judge, believed to be sympathetic to Zavallos. As official airline of the Copa America, President Alejandro Toledo was forced to intervene to allow Lan to keep flying during the tournament. The serious intervention by the president is currently being investigated by congress. Allegaions stating that former President Toledo wrongfully used his position in order to benefit LAN has been a big controversy in Peru.
[edit] Accusations and Charges
Fernando Zevallos has been the subject of more than 30 investigations by the US Drug Enforcement Administration and not one investigation has found any connection between him and the accusations. On 2004 he was put on the US's list of drugs kingpins, FOREIGN NARCOTICS KINGPIN DESIGNATION ACT, labelling him one of the top drugs-traffickers in the world. Terry Parham, director of the US Drug Enforcement Administration's Lima office, went on record as describing Zevallos as the "Al Capone of Peru".
The founder of Aero Continente has denied any connection with drug traficking and has demanded that the United States government show proof of such accusations. Neither Aero Continente -nor its founder Fernando Zevallos- were ever tried or found guilty of these accusations prior to they're addition to the list. Fernando Zevallos has been a Permanent legal resident (green card holder) of the United States for over 15 years, has been quoted of calling his inclusion to The Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act unconstitutional. Since he was denied his given right to due process, right given to all by the 5th amendment. One can find more information regarding the kingpin act, here. [1]
In his home country, Zevallos has faced charges of contract murder, cocaine trafficking and money laundering. All acusaions based on witnesses, not evidence. He always denied all allegations made against him and was never convicted of any crime - until November 2005, when a Peruvian court found him guilty of drugs-trafficking. He was sentenced to 20 years in jail and barred from holding public office. Zevallos's defense has since launched an appeal. It alleges that Zevallos was on trial for money-laundering, yet was convicted of drugs-trafficking. The case is due to be heard by Peru's Supreme Court. Zevallos has also filed a complain to the Inter-American Court of Human Rights "the Pact of San José."
In November 2006, accusations emerged to suggest Zevallos had deep links with Peru's disgraced former spy-chief, Vladimiro Montesinos. The accusations were made by convicted drug dealer Jorge Polaco Chavez Montoya. The state procecutor for the case had recommended for the case to be closed, since there is no evidence to prove the accusations. Both Zevallos and Montesinos have denied the accusations.
Fernando Zevallos, is currently challenging the United States government to show proof of their accusations. He was preparing a lawsuit against the Bush Administration in order to be taken out from the list, but since all his assets have been frozen, he no longer has the monetary mean for his defense. Also, many experts and congressman agree that the The Foreign Narcotics Kingpin Designation Act is unconstitutional, since it deprives the right to due process. Some media have mentioned that Zevallos is looking for help to take this to congress and/or Federal Court.
The website www.fernandozevallos.com [2] was began in order to defend himself, but was never completed, due to lack of funding. One can still contact the Zevallos Family thru the website.
