Alan Garcia wins Peruvian presidential election

June 5, 2006 Alan Garcia, the former president of Peru in 1985-1990, has once again won the presidential election of Peru in a runoff against candidate Ollanta Humala. Garcia received the majority of the votes in Lima and most of Peru's urban areas, while Humala received most of the votes from the rural areas.

Alan Garcia's first presidential term ended in economic disaster and hyper-inflation and resulted in the popular support for the election of President Fujimori. After his disastrous first term, very few would have considered Garcia's comeback to be possible.

Many in Peru did not like Ollanta Humala's relationship with Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez whom they felt was interfering with Peruvian affairs. Garcia and Chavez have had a clash of words many times before this election and many saw a vote for Garcia as a vote against Humala and Chavez.

Humala accepted his defeat and saluted Garcia and his party. This statement was, however, rejected by Humala's spokeswoman.