MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Garcia proclaims victory and calls for dialogue

Addressing thousands of followers in Lima Sunday night Alan Garcia proclaimed he was the winner of the Peruvian presidential runoff.

Although definitive official results will not be announced until mid week, exit polls all over the country showed Mr. García ahead of contender Ollanta Humala 52.4% to 47.6%, confirming the tendencies forecasted by the country's main public opinion surveys.

The former president begun thanking God and fellow Peruvians for having voted him and promised a government of "coincidence, dialogue, openness and concerted efforts" which will not forget the dispossessed.

Exit polls, issued after voting stations closed at 1600 (2100 GMT), showed Mr Garcia in the lead with nearly 53% of the vote to 47% for his rival. In the first round, Mr Humala received 30.7% to Mr Garcia's 24% and a fiercely contested campaign ensued.

In a press conference Transparency International, Peru chapter, an observer of the electoral run off confirmed Alan Garcia as the winner and next Peruvian president, having defeated Ollanta Humala form the Union for Peru party.

Transparency president Pepi Patron said Mr. Garcia garnered 52.4% of the vote and Mr. Humala 47.6%, with 8.6% void or annulled ballots.

"Voting has been clean and transparent. We congratulate the Peruvian electorate for their massive and peaceful participation, and the organizers for the efficient performance of the balloting. It's a great day for Peruvian democracy and governance", said Pepi Patron.

However Mr Garcia also had a message for Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez who openly supported former Army Colonel Humala.

"Today, Peru has sent a message of national sovereignty and has defeated efforts by Hugo Chavez to incorporate us in the expansion strategy of his military and backward-looking model, which he's tried to implant in Latin America" Garcia told supporters.

Chavez's vocal support for Humala, who has campaigned to restrict foreign investment in Peru, sparked a diplomatic spat in April after Peru's outgoing President Alejandro Toledo accused the Venezuela leader of "meddling" in domestic politics.

Toledo called on the 34-nation Organization of American States to curb Chavez' comments and has withdrawn its ambassador to Caracas. Venezuela responded by recalling its top diplomat to Lima.

Chavez had promised that if Garcia wins the election he would recall the Venezuelan ambassador from Lima.

Lima's main daily El Comercio reported that Mr. Garcia also won in the Peruvian embassy in Caracas.

Mr. Garcia is forecasted to take office July 28, Peru's national Independence Day.

His task won't be easy since he does not have a majority in the unicameral parliament system and will necessarily have to work out a coalition or alliance.

Of the 120 seats, Humala's party holds 45: Mr. Garcia's APRA 36; the conservative National Unity 17; Alliance for the future from former president Fujimori 13; Center Front 5; Peru Possible 2 and National Restoration 2.