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GUEST: Mark Berenson, Professor at Montclair State University, and father of political prisoner Lori Berenson

Peru will hold elections early next month, on April 9th. There are about 24 candidates. We begin this segment with a commentary on the elections by American political prisoner, Lori Berenson, who has been imprisoned in Peru for over ten years. Click here for Lori Berenson’s radio essays.

As Peru’s general election draws nearer, former army officer and nationalist candidate, Ollanta Humala has retaken the lead in the presidential race. According to a recent poll, 32 percent of Peruvians said they would vote for Humala on April 9th. A political newcomer, Humala now claims a four point lead over his closest rival, conservative candidate Lourdes Flores. Humala’s poll numbers have risen seven percentage points since early February, despite accusations of human rights abuses committed in the early 90s. The main non-governmental organization behind the charges against Humala is a group called the National Coordinator for Human Rights. This group has received U.S. funding from the Agency for International Development and the National Endowment for Democracy. Such ties lead some analysts to conclude that the U.S. is meddling in Peru’s presidential race.