Archive for the ‘Uncategorized’ Category
Mirko Lauer on the Second Round
Mirko Lauer is clearly expecting APRA to win tomorrow.
Humala and the Peruvian flag
8:20 pm: Alvarez Rodrich has requested Humala to take away a flag from his podium before starting his presentation. Humala did not want to do it because there was nothing in the rules against having a national symbol and that he is not embarrassed of thhe Peruvian flag.
Humala apologized for his delay due to APRA supporters.
Flash: Ollanta Humala has not arrived yet
Alan Garcia arrived on time around 7:40 pm.
It is 8:05 pm and the debate has not started. Nadine Heredia has arrived to the site and Ollanta Humala has not arrived to the museum yet. According to Cesar Hildebrandt. This is a “groceria.”
Ollanta Humala has arrived at 8:10 pm. His late arrival has not impressed journalists covering the event.
8:12 pm: the debate is set to start. Augusto Alvarez Rodrich is introducing the rules of the debate. Alvarez-Rodrich announced Humala is not in the set yet.
8:16 pm: Humala is in the set. Debate has started. Garcia is the first to speak.
The Presidential Debate
The presidential debate between Alan Garcia and Ollanta Humala is today. It will be carried live on the Internet by CPN radio at www.cpnradio.com.pe and by TNP at www.tnp.com.pe. The debate starts on Sunday night, May 21, at 8:00 pm. “Peru Election 2006” will follow the debate and post reactions and commentary. Readers are encouraged to send in comments before, during, and after the debate.
The broad consensus among observers is that Humala has the most to gain, and, contrariwise, Garcia has the most to lose in this debate. Humala’s second round campaign has been fraught with scandal and he is trailing badly in the polls. Even worse, the statements made by Vladimiro Montesinos just two days ago have added to the pressure on Humala, and raises the stakes of the debate. Although it is hard to know how Montesinos’ intervention will play out, it would appear to place Humala even further on the defensive.
Since Garcia is the clear front-runner, the debate offers Humala a chance to do some damage. Since he has little to lose, and much to gain, he will probably go on the offensive. He will attack Garcia’s record in office in 1985-1990 and capitalize on public’s distrust of the APRA leader. Garcia will exploit his superior rhetorical skills and try to cast Humala as a representing a dangerous leap into the void. We may also see efforts by Garcia to link Humala with presidents Evo Morales and Hugo Chavez, while Humala may seek to cast Garcia as the candidate favored by international business, the right, and the US Embassy.
Commentary by other bloggers:
– El debate: Las preguntas que debieron hacerse (y que aun pueden responder)
– Las preguntas de peruexilio para el debate
– El debate
– Debate presidencial más allá del morbo
Both Flores and Garcia would close congress
So poor is the image of congress that two of the front-running candidates have said they would not hesitate to dissolve the congress and call new congressional elections in the event that their programs were rejected due to a minority situation. This would be done democratically, and according to the constitution, which stipulates (article 134) that the executive has the power to dissolve congress after two motions of censure against the cabinet.
Future of Peru Posible in Doubt
On Monday, January 23, leaders of Perú Posible will gather to discuss the crisis within their party that has arisen from the decision of Rafael Belaúnde to purge the congressional list of all undesirable candidates. Belaúnde insists that he will not be a complice of such elements, and warns that he will step down from the leadership of PP unless he gets his way. Electoral authorities warn that this may result in the elimination of the entire PP slate.
In recent days, the local media have shown an almost morbid interest in exposing the mediocrity and corruption within the ranks of the governing party. It has been alleged that there are members who own hotels of ill-repute, committed bigamy, abused minors, appointed family members to public offices, and trafficked in influence.
Fujimori Out of Contention
Fujimoristas converged on the offices of the National Election Board (Jurado Nacional de Elecciones, or JNE) to express their belief that their leader should be allowed to run in the April elections. Inside the JNE, Cesar Nakasaki, Fujimori’s lawyer, made the case for overturning an earlier decision by the Special Election Board that had banned Fujimori from running. Nakasaki argued that the Special Election Board did not have the authority to rule on the matter. Outside, the colorful protest was led by daugher, Keiko Fujimori, and other high-profile leaders.
Photo: M.A. Cameron
This evening it turned out that the protests were to no avail; the National Election Board upheld the earlier ruling. The decision is definitive and cannot be appealed. However, there has been a debate in recent months concerning whether the decisions by the National Election Board are, in fact, final. Some jurists insist that the Constitutional Tribunal has the final say in any case concerning fundamental rights–which presumably would include the right to run for office.