Peruvians to Decide Between Progressive Future and Neoliberal Past

Posted on Apr 28, 2011

Flickr / illuminaut

Peruvians stage a protest against the leadership of President Alan García Pérez in 2008.

In a presidential election next month, Peruvian voters will decide whether to trust their future to broad social welfare programs or the conservative economics of their now incarcerated former leader. —ARK

New Statesman:

The duel certainly represents a clash of ideologies. [Keiko] Fujimori, aged just 35, is the daughter of former president Alberto, currently serving a 25-year jail term for crimes against humanity committed during his ten-year reign between 1990 and 2000.

[. . .] She has endorsed the “security policies” of former Colombian president and US darling Álvaro Uribe, who presided over a draconian police state, smashed unions and gave weapons and impunity to paramilitary death squads prior to leaving office last year.

[Ollanta] Humala, who took 31.7 per cent of votes compared to Fujimori’s 23.5 per cent in the first round, is a former army officer who has positioned himself as something of a hybrid between Hugo Chávez’s radical wealth redistribution and Lula da Silva’s more moderate social inclusion policies.

[. . .] He has pledged to renegotiate contracts between the state and multinational companies operating in Peru, particularly in the mining sector, with the intention of channelling more money into desperately needed social welfare schemes and boosting the country’s pension reserves.

Read more

More Below the Ad

New and Improved Comments

If you have trouble leaving a comment, review this help page. Still having problems? Let us know. If you find yourself moderated, take a moment to review our comment policy.