Toledo wins Peru Presidency
Alejandro Toledo, a shoeshine boy who rose from poverty to become a World Bank economist, defeated controversial ex-president Alan Garcia in the presidential election in Peru’s cleanest election in years.
‘‘The time has come to extend Dr Toledo my congratulations for his triumph on this democratic day,’’ Garcia said, offering his help in the new administration.
The concession came with 51% of the vote counted, giving Toledo 51.8% to 48.2% for Garcia, said Fernando Tuesta, the nation’s top election official.
Random samplings and exit polls conducted by private firms gave Toledo even larger margins of victory.
Toledo, a populist candidate who will become Peru’s first freely elected president of native Indian decent, smiled after exit polls were released but said he would wait for more results before commenting.
Toledo’s running mate praised the outcome. ‘‘This is a great stroke of luck for Peru, and I’m very excited,’’ said Raul Diez Canseco, Toledo’s first vice-president. Peru has two vice-presidential posts.
The election came seven months after Peruvians drove authoritarian President Alberto Fujimori from office in a corruption scandal, and signalled a return to democratic voting after elections tainted by fraud.
