MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

García closing in.

Former president Alan García is running just a couple of points behind Alejandro Toledo in the final round this Sunday to elect Perú's next president. Latest polls indicate Mr. Toledo remains flat in 41%, while Mr. García has steadily and unexpectedly grown from 27% to 38% in the last three weeks.

Polls also have shown a rapid decrease of those disenchanted with both candidates and promising to annul their votes, falling from a record 33% to 21%. This option was particularly strong immediately after the first round when Mr. Toledo and Mr. García were exposed to in-depth press scrutiny. Apparently an undecided or "hidden" segment of between 3 and 5%, that analysts believe could decide the tight race this Sunday, has been detected. "The election is to be decided in the last two days, it's far from being won by Toledo as was forecasted all along", said polls television analyst Bernardo Verjovsky in an attempt to describe the current situation with an electorate that is known to be "volatile". Voting in Peru is compulsory. Mr. Toledo, 100% Indian, former World Bank economist and US educated was crucial in defeating the former authoritarian regime of Mr. Alberto Fujimori, currently exiled in Japan and indicted in Peru for embezzlement of several hundred million US dollars. However, only this last week Mr. Toledo managed to break the 39,8% threshold. Allegedly Mr. Toledo likes drinking, has tried coke, has an extra marital daughter which he refuses to recognise and in his autobiography even missed the exact date of his mother's death. But he is 100% full Indian in a country with a 60% Indian population. Politically he's considered Conservative. Social democrat Mr. Alan García is a former Peruvian president (1985-90), who finished office in disgrace, with the country ravaged by hyperinflation and with armed subversion completely out of control, opening the doors for iron fisted Mr. Fujimori who then ruled ten years with full support from the Armed Forces and a dreadful human rights record. Exiled for ten years in Colombia and Europe, (he was educated in Belgium), Mr. García returned to Peru just a few months ago and besides a strong personality and leader of Peru's most organised political party, he is a gifted and enchanting speaker.