(above) The presidential candidate Ollanda Humala spoke to his supporters at a rally in Lima on Sunday.

 

Populist Seeks Stability in Peru, His Adviser Insists

By REUTERS

LIMA, Peru (Reuters) — The front-runner in the second round of Peru's presidential election, Ollanta Humala, would promote economic stability if elected and would not follow the path of the left-wing governments in Venezuela and Bolivia, his top adviser said Wednesday.

The presidential candidate Ollanda Humala spoke to his supporters at a rally in Lima on Sunday.

Mr. Humala finished first in the initial round of voting; in the aftermath, Peru's benchmark stock index declined 6.2 percent and its currency weakened.

A former army officer turned populist, Mr. Humala will face a conservative legislator, Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of a disgraced former president, in a runoff on June 5.

Mr. Humala's economic adviser, Félix Jiménez, said that the candidate's economic agenda had nothing to do with President Hugo Chávez of Venezuela and "nothing to do with Bolivia."

"Economic stability is very important for consolidating growth," he said.

Mr. Jiménez said that Mr. Humala had categorically ruled out taking over any companies.

Mr. Humala does support voluntarily renegotiating some contracts held by mining and natural gas companies, Mr. Jiménez said, so they would pay more taxes and, in the case of gas, promote domestic use over export sales.