"The Sketchiest and Most Powerful Man In Peru and His Watches"
Vladimiro Montesinos
By JCGB for SBWC
Vladimiro Lenin Ilich Montesinos Torres, born on May 20, 1945, in Arequipa, Peru, was the son of Francisco Montesinos. His father, Francisco, was the youngest of 14 siblings, born into a wealthy family that owned a large hacienda in Arequipa. However, Francisco was the only one among his siblings who grew up poor, a fact that deeply impacted Vladimiro. While his relatives lived lavishly, Vladimiro longed for wealth and power.
During Vladimiro’s first year at the Chorrillos Military Academy, his father tragically died from a self-induced overdose before his 60th birthday. Francisco left him a final message: “Don’t be poor, Vladimiro.” This would shape Vladimiro’s life, fueling his relentless ambition to become rich at any cost. Unburdened by ethics or scruples, he pursued wealth and power, determined to fulfill his father's wish.
After graduating from the Peruvian Army Military Academy, Vladimiro furthered his education in law at the University of San Marcos. He was not a typical military leader—he wasn’t known for commanding troops or being brave in battle. Instead, Vladimiro was an intellectual, a natural strategist, who preferred to study great minds and focus on the art of intelligence. Early in his career, he displayed the qualities that would one day make him Peru’s top spy.
Army Military Academy
In the summer of 1973, Vladimiro boldly drove to the beach house of General Edgardo Mercado Jarrín, the Prime Minister under dictator Velasco Alvarado, to propose a series of ideas on the economy and military strategy. Impressed by the young lieutenant’s abilities, the General appointed him as an advisor, marking the beginning of Montesinos’ career in the shadows. During this time, Vladimiro offered sensitive information to the U.S. Embassy, working as a double agent for the CIA.
General Edgardo Mercado Jarrín & US Ambassador Robert Dean
When Velasco Alvarado’s regime fell, Montesinos’ world collapsed as well. He was arrested upon his return to Lima from a trip to the United States, where he had met with the CIA. Accused of espionage and treason, Vladimiro faced a court martial and the threat of execution. After a year in prison, his charges were reduced, and he was dishonorably discharged from the military.
In 1978, he began working at his cousin's law firm, and driven by his father's parting words, he decided to represent drug traffickers. That same year, one of the Medellin Cartel’s leaders, Evaristo Porras Ardila, was accidentally arrested in Lima. Seizing the opportunity, Vladimiro orchestrated Porras' escape, personally driving him to a private plane that flew him back to Medellin. Though he initially received no payment, Porras later rewarded him with a million dollars—equivalent to nearly $5 million in today’s currency.
Emboldened by this success, Montesinos built a career as a lawyer, specializing in bribery and corruption. He mastered the art of influence, learning the exact price to pay for a judge, attorney, or government official to win a case.
Evaristo Porras Ardila
In 1990, presidential candidate Alberto Fujimori was accused of tax evasion, a true allegation that threatened his campaign. Desperate to clear his name, Fujimori hired Montesinos, who promised to resolve the issue in three days. Using bribes and coercion, Montesinos gathered all the incriminating evidence and presented it to Fujimori, solidifying his position as an indispensable advisor. Montesinos then helped Fujimori win the presidential debate by exposing the scandals of his opponent, Mario Vargas Llosa, accusing him of drug use and other indiscretions.
Alberto Fujimori & Mario Vargas Llosa during the presidential debate
Vladimiro Montesinos and Alberto Fujimori
With Fujimori’s election victory, Montesinos became the chief of intelligence, wielding enormous power. During the 1980s and 1990s, Peru was embroiled in a civil war against two communist guerrilla groups: the Shining Path and the MRTA. These groups launched countless terrorist attacks on military and civilian targets, leaving the country on the brink of collapse. Montesinos, with CIA support, led the military’s counterinsurgency efforts, eventually capturing the Shining Path’s leader, Abimael Guzmán.
Montesinos meeting with Guzman after his capture.
Montesinos' crowning achievement came in 1997 during the hostage crisis at the Japanese embassy. The MRTA had taken dozens of hostages, including diplomats and dignitaries, during a cocktail party. After months of siege, Montesinos oversaw a daring rescue operation. Peruvian military engineers dug tunnels under the embassy, and special forces rehearsed the assault countless times. When the operation was launched, commandos stormed the building, killing all the terrorists and rescuing the hostages. The mission was hailed as one of the most successful hostage rescues in history.
Montesinos & Fujimori visiting the compound post operation.
After a corruption scandal led by the CIA, once they discovered that he facilitated arms sales from the Kingdom of Jordan to the Colombian Communist Guerrilla group FARC, Montesinos’ reign came to an end. The CIA, feeling betrayed by Montesinos, obtained incriminating video tapes that he had filmed himself. These tapes showed him participating in various acts of corruption, including bribery. In one particularly damning video, Montesinos is seen handing over hundreds of thousands of dollars in cash to an opposition congressman, persuading him to vote in favor of President Fujimori’s policies. This revelation triggered a snowball effect, unraveling years of corruption and exposing the massive amounts of money he had stolen from the government. The tapes led to his downfall and tarnished his once formidable power.
Commando's rip down flag from MRTA and celebrate the success of the operation
In 2014, many of his luxurious items, including a collection of watches, were auctioned by the Peruvian government. Among the questions raised was: What kind of watches did the man who climbed from poverty to become the most powerful—and corrupt—figure in Peru, wear on his wrist?
The following is a short list of some of the pieces that were auctioned:
Piaget:
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5 gold Piaget
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7 diamond-incrusted 18k gold Piaget
Rolex:
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1 gold Rolex Cellini
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3 diamond-incrusted gold Rolex Day-Date
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4 diamond-incrusted gold Rolex Cellini
Patek Philippe:
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2 diamond-incrusted gold Patek Philippe Nautilus
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3 gold Patek Philippe
Longines:
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4 gold Longines
I hope you have enjoyed this article written by Joe one of our SBWC members! We don't make up the history to our articles, its already written. I believe Joe did a great job of shedding some light on the history of this darkness and corruption in Peru. There are Sketchy people in the world on the good side and the bad side, this article shows a blend of both which makes it a killer read. It really emphasizes that the person truly makes the watches history, there is evil in this world and this article proves that corruption leads to money and money leads to watches.