Presidential Elections - I'm speechless
"Pucha! Nos Cagamos!", those were my aunts words were when I asked her about the elections yesterday.
Basically, Ollanta Humala is in the lead of the race. With 30% of the popular votes, he has secured his place in the second running (this due to the lack of a majority vote). From a democratic perspective, this is not a good sign. He has promised to 'share the wealth' of Peru amongst the excluded population; the non-european descent population. Which ideally, it is a great concept but very unfeasible with a country like mine - Peru. Peru needs foreign investment to boost the economy, provide for more jobs and be able to remain expanding the growth that the country has been going through for the past 52 months. Having a Peru follow the Chavez-Venezulean model just brings more chaos, foreign animosity and he (Ollanta) will most likely overthrow the congress to build a new one to his favor. Thus, installing a dictatorship like Chavez did in Venezuela.
Cuba and Venezuela are not in good shape. If you believe that with an income of $12/mo, one can get by easily, well you are mistaken. I ask, plead and basically beg for all my fellow peruvians to gather people to vote for the opposing party, whoever that may be at this point. If Alan Garcia heads to the second round... (can't belive I am saying this but) please choose him; he is the less of two evils.
At 11pm (Peruvian time), Alan Garcia leads with 24.93 and Lourdes follows with 24.03. That is nine tenths of a difference and with 80% of the ballots counted. Lourdes Flores needs 91,000 votes to level out the playing field. My main questions are 1) Why on earth is Alan Garcia running again? Does he not kow what else to do with his life?) 2) Most importantly, why does he have any votes in this election?
Do people forget that easily? Or are us, Peruvians, that confused?
Do we not remember the rationing of food? Inflation? the devalue of the 'Inti' currency where people lost almost everything? the uprise of the maoist groups MRTA and Sendero Luminoso (shining path) and the beginning of their infiltration in Lima? National curfews? and the 'disappearance' of gold in the Peruvian Bank of Reserve? ... was twenty years ago such a long time ago?
In other news, I also got to cautch a glimpse of the footage of Ollanta's disgraced appearance at the University of Ricardo Palma while he was trying to cast his vote. Masses of peruvians sat outside the locale yelling and yanting, "Asesino!", "Ollanta Maricon" and "Ollanta Y Montesinos.. la misma porqueria!". I was completely distraught by seeing people yelling and literally throwing themselves against Ollanta and his wife in attemps to block their exit. I could imagine being stuck in that crowd and fainting. It was a sight to see - complete and utter chaos.
Also, some peculiar news afloated after the footage of Humala during his Ricardo Palma experience, where he was also filmed shacking hands with some Venezulean electoral officials who traveled to Peru to 'help' in this presidential election. Aside from this, there was also a speech by Chavez in national venezuelan channel where he promotes Humala's candidacy to the Peruvian presidency, and associates it with Bolivar's failed dream of the 'unified' South American States (modeled after the United States unification, but with socialistic credo). And lastly, there was a report that Ollanta Humala gave a special interview to a venezuelan news show on the day after his secured spot in the second running; something he has yet to do in Peru... the country where he is wanting to become President, and is supposedly most concerned to promote social change.
This race is becoming to nerve wrecking for my family, my peruvian friends and myself. We are in the midst of a nervous breakdown. This is either the beginning of the end of Peru, or the begining of a more hopeful future. The only thing left to do is to keep the last morsel of hope and hold on to it. We still have yet to find out the votes in the exterior since only 3% of them have been counted, as well as the 2,000 ballots in Lima that are yet to be determined by the ONPE. All is left is to just sit and wait... and keep the hope.
Basically, Ollanta Humala is in the lead of the race. With 30% of the popular votes, he has secured his place in the second running (this due to the lack of a majority vote). From a democratic perspective, this is not a good sign. He has promised to 'share the wealth' of Peru amongst the excluded population; the non-european descent population. Which ideally, it is a great concept but very unfeasible with a country like mine - Peru. Peru needs foreign investment to boost the economy, provide for more jobs and be able to remain expanding the growth that the country has been going through for the past 52 months. Having a Peru follow the Chavez-Venezulean model just brings more chaos, foreign animosity and he (Ollanta) will most likely overthrow the congress to build a new one to his favor. Thus, installing a dictatorship like Chavez did in Venezuela.
Cuba and Venezuela are not in good shape. If you believe that with an income of $12/mo, one can get by easily, well you are mistaken. I ask, plead and basically beg for all my fellow peruvians to gather people to vote for the opposing party, whoever that may be at this point. If Alan Garcia heads to the second round... (can't belive I am saying this but) please choose him; he is the less of two evils.
At 11pm (Peruvian time), Alan Garcia leads with 24.93 and Lourdes follows with 24.03. That is nine tenths of a difference and with 80% of the ballots counted. Lourdes Flores needs 91,000 votes to level out the playing field. My main questions are 1) Why on earth is Alan Garcia running again? Does he not kow what else to do with his life?) 2) Most importantly, why does he have any votes in this election?
Do people forget that easily? Or are us, Peruvians, that confused?
Do we not remember the rationing of food? Inflation? the devalue of the 'Inti' currency where people lost almost everything? the uprise of the maoist groups MRTA and Sendero Luminoso (shining path) and the beginning of their infiltration in Lima? National curfews? and the 'disappearance' of gold in the Peruvian Bank of Reserve? ... was twenty years ago such a long time ago?
In other news, I also got to cautch a glimpse of the footage of Ollanta's disgraced appearance at the University of Ricardo Palma while he was trying to cast his vote. Masses of peruvians sat outside the locale yelling and yanting, "Asesino!", "Ollanta Maricon" and "Ollanta Y Montesinos.. la misma porqueria!". I was completely distraught by seeing people yelling and literally throwing themselves against Ollanta and his wife in attemps to block their exit. I could imagine being stuck in that crowd and fainting. It was a sight to see - complete and utter chaos.
Also, some peculiar news afloated after the footage of Humala during his Ricardo Palma experience, where he was also filmed shacking hands with some Venezulean electoral officials who traveled to Peru to 'help' in this presidential election. Aside from this, there was also a speech by Chavez in national venezuelan channel where he promotes Humala's candidacy to the Peruvian presidency, and associates it with Bolivar's failed dream of the 'unified' South American States (modeled after the United States unification, but with socialistic credo). And lastly, there was a report that Ollanta Humala gave a special interview to a venezuelan news show on the day after his secured spot in the second running; something he has yet to do in Peru... the country where he is wanting to become President, and is supposedly most concerned to promote social change.
This race is becoming to nerve wrecking for my family, my peruvian friends and myself. We are in the midst of a nervous breakdown. This is either the beginning of the end of Peru, or the begining of a more hopeful future. The only thing left to do is to keep the last morsel of hope and hold on to it. We still have yet to find out the votes in the exterior since only 3% of them have been counted, as well as the 2,000 ballots in Lima that are yet to be determined by the ONPE. All is left is to just sit and wait... and keep the hope.
posted by Maria @ 7:32 PM
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