Monday, July 18, 2011

Mixed News from Peru

President-elect Ollanta Humala of Peru has tried to convince people that he's not radical like his father nor corrupt like his brothers. Maybe he actually means it; we can hope. Peru was a Latin America success story under his predecessor.

Recently his brother Alexis went to Russia where he claimed to be an official Peruvian representative trying to negotiate deals for natural gas, fish, and weaponry. Ollanta repudiated Alexis and publicly asked his family not to meddle.

In Latin America that won't be well received in the family, and maybe not in a country where taking care of your family first is a primary value. Still, the fact that Ollanta said what he did is a positive sign. See the article here on the BBC Latin America & Caribbean web page.