MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peruvian underdog candidate could give a surprise

Peruvian ultra nationalist candidate Ollanta Humala could perform better than expected in next Sunday's presidential run-off in spite of being ten points behind favourite Social democrat Alan Garcia.

According to pollster Apoyo there could be a "hidden" or "un-polled" vote supporting Mr. Humala which can happen in electoral processes when the media overwhelmingly takes side and some voters "feel it's better to hide their opinion", believing they could be intimidated or exposed to public scorn.

In an interview published in Lima's most respected daily El Comercio, Apoyo's director Alfredo Torres Guzman said that the latest formal public opinion poll shows former president Alan Garcia comfortably ahead with 44% vote intention and Mr. Humala with 36%, but in a simulated secret balloting the result was, 46% and 41%.

In a second scenario with valid votes only, eliminating void and annulled ballots, the score was 55% for Garcia and 45% for Humala. However in a simulated secret ballot process the actual score was 52% and 48%.

"Given these projections, void balloting could decide the election", warns Mr. Torres Guzman.

Meantime on the campaign trail both candidates continue to attack each other in what the Peruvian press describes as a "calling names" contest.

Garcia accused Humala of promoting the "dirty war" and went on to say that his rival was a "killer of policemen" and a "coup organizer", in direct reference to the former Colonel's "dark side" while an active military fighting the guerrillas in the Andes.

"Mr. Humala should have the integrity to accept defeat and not tarnish Peruvian democracy, keeping the dictator Chavez (of Venezuela) out of Peruvian politics and democratic governance".

From Ecuador on an official visit President Chavez said he prayed every day to see Humala president of Peru because if not "the hand of evil and of the US empire and its dollars", will crown Garcia, "an imperialist dart that will try to divide us"

"Mr. Humala must accept electoral results with out alleging fraud or vote rigging or tarnishing Peru' international image and prestige", insisted Mr. Garcia.

Mr. Humala accused Garcia of receiving money from the United States since he's the candidate of the "rich and foreigners who exploit and loot Peru's resources".

He also said Garcia had a political agreement with former president Alberto Fujimori, whose elected daughter and most voted Congress member, Keiko, he secretly met to seal the deal.