Leftist surges, and Peru's rich are scared

[NNN0LHI]

http://www.suntimes.com/output/news/cst-nws-peru11.html

LIMA, Peru -- A gruff, polarizing retired army officer who courted Peru's poor and terrified its rich with promises to re-distribute the country's wealth appeared on Monday to be headed for a presidential runoff.

The 43-year-old military man, Ollanta Humala, called on ''all Peruvians'' after Sunday's vote to ''join up with this movement to transform Peru.''

But a close battle for second place left unanswered whom Humala would likely face in the second round -- pro-business former congresswoman Lourdes Flores or Alan Garcia, a center-left ex-president.

With 80.3 percent of the votes tallied, official results gave Humala 30.3 percent, Garcia 24.9 percent and Flores 24 percent.

[marmar]

1. Viva la revolucion...

May some of that spirit spread way north!

[queenbdem87]

2. Well at least it seems as is if

a leftist leader will win regardless....with both top candidates being liberals. I wish our elections were similar!

[rodeodance]

3. The 'rich' are those of European conquistadors. Similar to Mexico-where

the affluent are of Spanish descent-like Fox.



....Humala has instilled fear, especially among Peru's middle and upper classes, by identifying with Hugo Chavez, Venezuela's militantly anti-U.S. president.

When he and his wife went to vote in an upper-class district on Sunday, hundreds of protesters taunted them and threw rocks.

Many Peruvians resent Humala's populist campaign -- Humala belongs to a high-profile clan of avowed racists who believe Peru's ''copper-colored'' majority should have superior status over whites. He insists he does not share his relatives' views.

Humala openly admires the 1968-75 leftist dictatorship of Gen. Juan Velasco, who took land from wealthy Peruvians. Humala's fomenting of a backlash against descendants of Peru's European conquistadors galvanized the same sort of support that Evo Morales amassed in becoming Bolivia's first Indian president.

''In a country where most citizens suffer from racism, elections become an opportunity for them to take revenge,'' said human rights activist Wilfredo Ardito.