Polls have opened in Peru for elections to chose a president, two vice presidents, and the members of the country's 120-strong Congress. Voting is compulsory for the country's fourteen and a half million registered voters. Opinion polls forecast a close race between outgoing President Alberto Fujimori and his main rival Alejandro Toledo. The elections are being monitored by international observers, following criticism from the United States over campaign irregularities.
Polls indicate that neither Mr Fujimori nor Mr Toledo is likely to win more than 50% to avert a run-off. Since Mr Fujimori was first elected in 1990, he has won praise for reviving Peru's moribund economy and defeating leftist insurgencies. However, he has also faced sharp criticism for his often authoritarian style and alleged human rights violations.
Mr Toledo is a US-educated World Bank economist. Born of poor Indian parents, he is idolised by Peru's Indian majority. He has led the opposition in accusing Mr Fujimori of preparing vote-counting fraud with military help to ensure extra points for a first-round victory. The National Electoral Jury pledged yesterday that it would do its utmost to guarantee clean elections and give ample access to international observers.
