5 things you need to know about Peru’s presidential election
Source: Washington Post
5 things you need to know about Perus presidential election
By Simeon Tegel
June 4 at 5:00 AM
LIMA, Peru Perus presidential runoff election takes place Sunday with front-runner Keiko Fujimori, the 41-year-old daughter of former autocratic leader Alberto Fujimori, facing off against a prominent economist and former prime minister, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski. Here are five things you need to know about the election in this Andean nation:
1. Theres a dad issue looming over the vote.
The appeal of Keiko usually referred to by just her first name is based on the hard-right legacy of her father, who was president from 1990 to 2000. He is revered by many Peruvians for ruthlessly tackling both hyperinflation of more than 12,000 percent and the Maoist Shining Path rebels who racked up a death toll of 31,000 victims, mainly in remote villages in the Andes and Amazon. However, the elder Fujimori also shuttered the countrys Congress, led what many regard as a kleptocracy, and is now serving a 25-year jail sentence for crimes including running death squads and bribing journalists to smear his opponents. Critics charge that Keiko would be like her father; she insists she embraces democracy.
2. Keikos opponent is a Wall Street wonk.
Keiko is facing off against Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, a 77-year-old Wall Street investor and technocrat. Widely known by his initials, PPK is a center-right policy wonk who had stints at the World Bank and served as economy minister and prime minister. The Fujimoristas have sought to portray him as too old and as a member of Limas white elite, out of touch with the harsh realities of Perus poor majority.
3. Corruption allegations have raised fears about traffickers influence.
Keikos campaign has been overshadowed by various corruption scandals. The biggest bombshell was the revelation that one of her closest confidants, Joaquín Ramírez, secretary general of her Popular Force party and one of its principal financiers, is being investigated by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration for allegedly laundering $15 million for Keiko in a prior campaign. Ramírez denies the allegation. Separately, independent experts have linked as many as 17 new Fujimorista members of Congress, elected on April 10, to cocaine money. Keiko, meanwhile, prompted incredulity when she said that she never asks her major party donors how they came by their money.
Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2016/06/04/5-things-you-need-to-know-about-perus-election/
rpannier
(24,330 posts)I'd probably vote against Keiko
secondwind
(16,903 posts)were "buying votes" by giving poor people food, etc..
However, Keiko is/was doing the same thing and she was not eliminated.. I would not vote for her either.
OwlinAZ
(410 posts)Keiko signs everywhere. Politics was not the main topic of conversations, but most seemed to favor her opponent. There were questions about the difference between Sanders and Clinton. I kept it brief - Sanders more liberal.
Both my spouse and I are for Bernie. That did not surprise our friends. Probably the political dynasty business is not popular there.
We are not the belly button of the world.
MisterP
(23,730 posts)there's a very heavy Peruvian left, but they're known for being either ineffective or golpista generals
Judi Lynn
(160,545 posts)War Has Been Declared Online Against Fujitrolls in the Middle of Peru's Presidential Elections
Translation posted 4 June 2016 14:04 GMT
In Peru, the second round of the presidential campaign has caused more turmoil online than in the streets. On social media, Keiko Fujimori sympathizers (called Fujis), and those in favor of Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (known as Ppkausas), have been attacking each other with every weapon at their disposal. A report from May 6 in the magazine Hildebrandt en sus Trece revealed the digital strategy of Fujimori's party, Fuerza Popular. It seems that the Fujimori side has acted in a more forceful manner and has been more inclined to insults. According to the magazine, their slogan is basically Destroy Pedro Pablo Kucznski, members of his team and anyone who dares to criticize Keiko Fujimori. This may be why Fujimori supporters online have become known as Fujitrolls.
A recent attack happened between Twitter users @clauxbryce and @elianacarlin. After @elianacarlin tweeted about the discovery of a newly exposed pro-Fujimori group, @clauxbryce responded by calling her a terrorist. He also tweeted that we have identified them and they won't be around much longer. Carlín Eliana is one of the founders of the group No to Keiko and is often accused of working for Nadine Heredia, the wife of current Peruvian president Ollanta Humala.
There is talk of teams working on three levels the first being semi-institutional accounts or organized groups and supporters of Fujimori although they are not officially part of her political party. For example, groups such as @CibernautasFP and @Jovenesconkeiko broadcast official statements of Keiko Fujimori and spokespeople of Fuerza Popular. The second level consists of personal accounts of Fujimori supporters (@uterofavre, for example, and @duchope, whose account was recently deleted), which were responsible for creating the trends #BajaBajaPPK (Down Down PPK) and #PPKaos (a play on PP Kuczynski's name and the PPKausas team that supports him, making it sound like chaos). The third level is a paid anonymous team that work two shifts, attacking Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and his supporters.
. . .
The @fujitrolls account, dedicated to exposing the users behind the second level Twitter accounts mentioned above, was reactivated. The account is supposedly managed by several journalists who ask their followers to help identify the anonymous users behind the belligerent Fujitroll accounts.
More:
https://globalvoices.org/2016/06/04/war-has-been-declared-online-against-fujitrolls-in-the-middle-of-perus-presidential-elections/