Polls help shape presidential races in Peru, Colombia, Mexico

The latest poll numbers out of Peru show ex-president Alan Garcia (image) with a 16% lead ahead of nationalist candidate Ollanta Humala. Humala comfortably won the first round last month, while Garcia edged past Lourdes Flores to claim second place. The run-off election will take place on Sunday June 4^th.

Though most headlines appear to give Colombia's president Alvaro Uribe (image) an easy victory in his bid for reelection, left-wing candidate Carlos Gaviria has gained a lot of ground and a poll by Colombian newspaper El Tiempo (in Spanish) has Uribe leading with a slight majority. Pro-Uribe factions were able to garner nearly 75% of congressional seats in March’s legislative elections. The election takes place this Sunday.

In the run-up to Mexico’s presidential election, Felipe Calderon, (image) representing the governing party, has a 5% lead over ex-Mexican mayor Andrés Manuel López Obrador. López Obrador held double-digit leads over Calderon and PRI candidate Roberto Madrazo as late as March, but a series of negative ads by Calderon against López Obrador has helped push him into the lead. The Mexican presidential election is scheduled for July 2^nd.

election, international politics, Peru, mexico, colombia