Opus Dei, leftist, former goalie: who's who in Peru election race?

[Judi Lynn]

APRIL 8, 20215:07 AMUPDATED AN HOUR AGO

By Marco Aquino, Maria Cervantes

5 MIN READ

LIMA (Reuters) -Peru will vote for a new president on Sunday after a year of political turmoil, with a focus on the coronavirus pandemic, economic revival, corruption and mining policy in the world’s no. 2 copper producer.

With a fragmented field, the April 11 vote is not expected to yield an outright winner, which would lead to a run-off on June 6. With many Peruvians weary of politics, the race is one of the most unpredictable for years.

YONHY LESCANO - THE LEADER
Lescano, 62, is a seasoned legislator who balances a man-of-the-people image of leftist economics while being socially conservative. He leads in opinion polls but with only just above 10% support.

He has pledged to renegotiate a fairer distribution of mining wealth, bring down gas prices, create a state airline and push private banks to lower interest rates.

More:
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-peru-election-candidates/opus-dei-leftist-former-goalie-whos-who-in-peru-election-race-idUSKBN2BV1DK

[Judi Lynn]

1. 'People don't want any of them': Peru election sees unpredictable contest

About 28% of Peruvians wouldn’t choose any of the candidates, poll shows ahead of Sunday’s vote

Dan Collyns in Lima
@yachay_dc
Sat 10 Apr 2021 06.00 EDT

An ultra-conservative millionaire who admits to scourging himself daily to repress sexual desire is just one of an assortment of low-polling candidates who all have a shot at becoming Peru’s next president.

Rafael López Aliaga is technically tied with five other contenders in an unpredictable contest to make a runoff vote in June, including a former goalkeeper, a Sorbonne-educated socialist and the daughter of the country’s jailed former leader Alberto Fujimori.

Sunday’s vote will take place during a second wave of Covid-19 which this week set a new record for daily deaths as the highly contagious Brazilian variant takes hold. Neighbouring Chile postponed a constituent assembly vote due for the same day after a surge in cases.

Peruvians joke they have been long accustomed to voting for the mal menor – or the lesser evil – but Hernán Chaparro, a political analyst, said “that concept has been overtaken”.

More:
https://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2021/apr/10/peru-elections-presidential-candidates