Former leader of the Inter-Ethnic Alliance for the Development of the Peruvian Rainforest (AIDESEP) Alberto Pizango held a press conference in Puno to announce his candidacy for president of Peru, with the Alliance for the Alternative for Humanity (APHU). The leader of the Regional Coordinator of Communities Affected by Mining (CORECAMI), Pablo Salas Charca, was on hand to pledge his support for Pizango. (Generaccion, Los Andes, Sept. 22)

The announcement comes amid signs of a resurgent electoral left in Peru. Susana Villarán this week won Lima's mayorship with a narrow margin, amid fear-mongering that the human rights activist could be a "trojan horse" for radical leftists. Villarán, actually a moderate, will be Lima's first leftist mayor since 1983, and the first elected female mayor in five centuries. Marco Arana, an activist environmentalist priest, has meanwhile founded a "Land and Liberty" movement, which may field candidates. Keiko Fujimori, Alejandro Toledo and outgoing Lima mayor Luis Castañeda currently lead the field of conservative presidential candidates. (Americas Quarterly, Oct. 4)

See our last posts on Peru and the struggle for the Amazon.

Please leave a tip or answer the Exit Poll.