Talk of corruption trails Toledo

[Judi Lynn]

http://www.smh.com.au/ffxImage/urlpicture_id_1016843088138_2002/03/24/wld_bush25,0.jpg

Posted on Mon, Jul. 26, 2004


PERU


Talk of corruption trails Toledo

Peruvian President Toledo faces allegations that he took a bribe from a Colombian company and that his party forged signatures in the 2000 elections.

BY LUCIEN O. CHAUVIN

Special to The Herald


LIMA - Already Latin America's least popular president, Peru's Alejandro Toledo faces a growing list of corruption allegations against him, his wife, siblings and a top aide that could further undermine his government.

As Toledo enters the fourth year of his five-year term, he faces allegations that he took a bribe from a Colombian company and that his party, Peru Posible, forged some of the signatures it needed to register for elections in 2000.

He has denied both allegations, but a recent survey by APOYO, the country's top polling firm, found that 76 percent of people aware of the bribe accusation believed it was true. The poll also put his popularity at 8 percent.

Toledo also has had to juggle accusations of malfeasance by his siblings, as well as charges of wrongdoing by first lady Eliane Karp.
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http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/9242980.htm?ERIGHTS=8867561159010077375miami:&KRD_RM=3mkmlmmlnkjppmjjjjjjjjjsko|

[On the Road]

1. God, I Hope This Isn't True

Toledo came in as a populist leader, and the first president from a indigenous ethnic background. He hasn't delivered and has gone back on many of his promises. Some of this is due to extreme pressure from the IMF. I can understand how he would feel forced to adopt certain neoliberal doctrines rather than lose credit or become an economic pariah. But this sounds like he's gone over the dark side. Maybe the Peruvians will choose someone better next year.

[TahitiNut]

2. "Populism" is antitheitcal to "liberalism."

Fascist constituencies are often called "populist." The term is often used to imply repression of the rights of minorities.

[On the Road]

3. He Was from a Minority

and was supposedly supporting the rights of minorities. That's what gets me. He was either pressured or decided on his own to adopot the neolibleral agenda.

The corruption charges would provide a reason for the change. It's possible that the accusations are baseless, but the popular dissatisfaction would still have to be explained.