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Peruvian President Rules out Postponement of Elections
Peru's interim President Valentin Paniagua said Thursday that there should be no delay in general elections scheduled for April 8.
"There's a fixed date for elections that the government means to fulfill according to citizens' rights, and I shall assure this," he said.
Paniagua made these remarks after a meeting with Alejandro Toledo, head of the "Possible Peru" group and ex-presidential candidate, who expressed worries over postponing the voting date.
Peru's national election office (ONPE), which is in charge of organizing general elections, said on Wednesday that it would propose a two- to four-week delay of elections due to the lack of time to organize the ballot.
Congress voted on Wednesday night to adopt a new electoral system based on constituencies, replacing the current system of electing from a list of candidates offered by political parties.
Political analysts say the adoption of a new electoral system means ONPE needs more time to prepare. ONPE said, however, the proposed postponement of the voting date would not delay the transfer of power on July 28.
The April elections were arranged after Peru's scandal-stricken elections in May plunged the country into political turmoil.
Former president Alberto Fujimori won the elections for a third term, but had to announce after the revelation of a scandal centering on his close aide, Vladimiro Montesinos, that new elections would be held and he himself would not run. He also pledged to step down in July 2001 to make way for the new president.
Fujimori was removed last month from office by Congress for " moral incapacity" and charged with corruption. Paniagua took over as interim president.
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