Peru Chooses Toledo, Wholly

Alejandro Toledo, a one-time shoeshine boy who rose from poverty to become a World Bank economist, appeared to have defeated former president Alan Garcia on Sunday in Peru's cleanest presidential election in years, two exit polls indicated.

An exit poll by the Apoyo firm indicated Toledo had defeated Garcia by a 44.5 percent to 38.9 percent margin, while the Datum firm's poll, which counted only valid votes, put the margin at 53.3 percent to 46.7 percent.

Excluding the invalid, or spoiled, votes from Apoyo's poll, the two polls were consistent within a tenth of a percentage point. Exit polls in Peru historically have been accurate to within about five percentage points of the final outcome.

Toledo smiled after the exit polls were released but said he would wait for an unofficial quick-count — a statistical sample of ballots from around the country — before commenting. But Toledo's running-mate praised the apparent outcome.

"This is a great stroke of luck for Peru, and I'm very excited," said Raul Diez Canseco, Toledo's candidate for first vice-president. Peru has two vice-presidential posts.

The exit polls were released shortly after polls closed at 4 p.m. Election authorities were to begin releasing official results Sunday evening.

The election came seven months after Peruvians drove authoritarian President Alberto Fujimori from office in a corruption scandal, and signaled a return to democratic voting after elections tainted by fraud.

The voting pitted Toledo, a populist candidate who would be Peru's first freely elected president with Indian roots, against Garcia, who rose in the polls in recent weeks despite memories of his calamitous 1985-90 administration.

Toledo, 55, played on his rise from poverty and his role in ending Fujimori's decade-long rule. Garcia, 52, used scintillating oratory to overcome memories of his presidency, marred by corruption, guerrilla violence, food shortages and hyperinflation.

The election was marked by skepticism toward both candidates. Many Peruvians view Garcia as a liar and corrupt, and Toledo as erratic, contradictory in his proposals and power-hungry.

The Datum firm didn't release figures on spoiled or blank ballots, but according to the Apoyo firm, 16.6 percent of voters said they voided their ballots in disgust. Peruvians are fined if they don't show up to vote.

Enrique Bernales, a constitutional expert, warned that a large percentage of blank or spoiled ballots would produce "a weak government, with a large sector of the electorate that would rapidly turn against it."

One of those planning to spoil his ballot was Pedro Borja, 42, who has found only part-time work as a cab driver since he lost his job at Lima's racetrack.

"I remember Alan's government. I remember the lines, the money that was worthless," he said, lining up to vote in a soccer field in a working-class neighborhood littered with anti-Toledo fliers.

"The problem with Toledo is that the man s too ambitious. He wants power too badly, and I don't like that."

In recent days Garcia narrowed the gap with Toledo, who only a few weeks ago had led most polls by as many as 20 percentage points.

Toledo, who overcame poverty to earn a doctorate from Stanford University, has capitalized on his dark, chiseled Indian features and short stature to appeal to a mostly poor Indian and mixed-race population that accounts for more than 80 percent of Peru's 26 million people.

Toledo's strength comes also from his leadership role in the campaign to unseat Fujimori, whose regime collapsed in November amid mounting corruption scandals. Toledo withdrew from a runoff against Fujimori in May of last year, accusing him of planning to rig the results.

Like Garcia, Toledo campaigned largely on a populist platform. He has pledged to create 2.5 million jobs, raise salaries for public workers and lower taxes.

"He headed the fight against Fujimori's corrupt government. He deserves to be president," said Apolonio Mayta, 53, who makes a precarious living peddling vegetables from a tricycle in a Lima shantytown.

"He also is an economist. I have faith he will provide jobs as he promised during his campaign."

By Monte Hayes
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