THE IDEAL LEFTIST MOMENT?:

García Defeats Nationalist in Peru Vote to Reclaim Presidency (Monte Reel, 6/05/06, Washington Post)

Former president Alan García defeated nationalist candidate Ollanta Humala in Sunday's runoff election, earning a second chance to lead the country he steered to economic devastation in the 1980s.

García campaigned to protect Peru's free-trade economy from what he portrayed as the false promise of Latin American populism, arguing that Humala's plan to exert more state control over Peru's mining and energy sectors would isolate the country economically and discourage private investment.

Humala conceded defeat late Sunday after García led 55 percent to 45 percent with 77 percent of the votes counted.

García cast the election as a referendum to determine where Peru would position itself on South America's political map: with moderate, left-leaning leaders such as Chile's Michelle Bachelet or with populists like Venezuela's Hugo Chávez.

Peru's Garcia wins in stunning comeback (MONTE HAYES, 6/05/06, Associated Press)

Former president Alan Garcia, whose 1985-90 government left Peru mired in guerrilla violence and economic chaos, won back the office Sunday by defeating a fiery nationalist ex-soldier who was endorsed by Venezuela's Hugo Chavez.

It was a stunning comeback for a man whose name had been equated with political disaster — and a rejection of a political upstart enthusiastically endorsed by Venezuela's anti-U.S. president.

Posted by Orrin Judd at June 5, 2006 7:19 AM