Peru: Keiko for prez?

Ask Peruvians about former president Alberto Fujimori and you are likely to get one of two reactions. Some view him as an abuser of power who was behind widespread corruption and human rights abuses. Others see him as the man who brought safety and economic stability during his decade as Peru’s leader. Though he currently languishes in jail, several of his supporters have backed his daughter- congresswoman Keiko Fujimori- as the next president of Peru.

In Mach 2009, Keiko admitted that she would like to be president since she has “experience in social projects and a great aptitude for public service.” According to a recent poll she has good odds of winning the presidency:

The most recent national survey by Ipsos Apoyo indicates a partial tie between the two leading presidential candidates. According to the study, 22% of the populace will vote for Keiko Fujimori, a figure which represents the first time Fujimori has bested the other candidate, the current mayor of Lima, Luis Castañeda Lossio, who would get 21% of the vote. The Ipsos survey revealed that Castañeda has strong support in Lima while Keiko has the backing of the population in the nation's interior.

The leader of the "Fuerza 2011" said in an interview earlier this month that she was unsure if she would grant a presidential pardon to he father should she win the April 2011 elections. Yet she has been vocal against a media that she has accused of tarnishing the image of her father. Such an accusation is iron since her father (along with ex-spy chief/former right hand man Vladimiro Montesinos) used millions of dollars in state funds to bribe the press in exchange for very favorable coverage.

Image- MSNBC
Online Sources- poder360.com, Time, The Latin Americanist, EPA, BBC News