Elections Update

June 1, 2006

A few more days until Sundays elections and the polls suggest Garcia is still leading by a about 5 points, which is slightly down from the 10 or so points a few weeks ago.

Ollanta Humala, the nationalist nutcase, has been telling people that Alan Garcia will be a pawn of the US, and the Peruvian national press has strongly criticised Humala’s status as a pawn of Hugo Chavez.

Hugo Chavez, President of Venezuela and leader of his so called Axis of Good against all things North American, has openly backed Nationalist Humala, and hurled insults at his opponents.
He has also criticised Peru’s dealings and new trade agreement with the United States, and was livid with rage when Peru reminded him where Venezuela’s oil wealth came from. This spat, and Chavez’s continued backing of his favoured candidate led to both nations withdrawing their ambassadors, something Chavez said he’d do if his candidate didn’t win anyway.

Last week Ollanta Humala’s supporters surrounded Alan Garcia’s small motorcade in Cuzco, hurled rocks and fired shots at his car. This seems to have led to a return of fire. Both sides said the others attacked them first and several people were injured. Both sides have spent the last few weeks lying through their teeth to discredit the other – I guess the “Baby Eating” accusation is mere hours away.

The last piece of news to report is Humala has decided that the results of the upcoming elections will be fraudulent. “Prepare for the fraud”, he says. Does he mean he will commit the fraud? Does he reckon he’s going to lose or what?
Whatever happens this is for sure… its not going to be good telling a man who once tried to overthrow the government that he has not won an election. And worse when some regional governments will back him regardless of the democratic result.