Peru: The Crossroads of a Presidential Election

On April 9, Peru will hold the first round of its presidential and congressional elections. As is usual in Peru, the presidential race has been contentious and close. The three leading candidates represent three different visions of the country, and the electorate seems nearly equally divided. The real question is whether Peru will remain on its current political and economic course or follow the leftward shift that has permeated the Andean region. That question will not be answered, however, until the second round of elections May 7.