Peru's Ollanta Humala is a leftist former army officer who launched a failed military coup in 2000 against then-President Alberto Fujimori, the father of Mr. Humala's opponent, Keiko Fujimori.

Mr. Humala's victory in Peru's presidential runoff election Sunday comes five years after he narrowly lost the presidential race to Alan Garcia, who leaves office July 28.

Back in 2006, Mr. Humala was seen as a close ally of Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez, who publicly endorsed him for president of Peru at that time. Some reports alleged the Venezuelan government helped finance that campaign. Mr. Humala has since distanced himself from Mr. Chavez.

In 2006, Mr. Humala opposed a free trade agreement with the United States and pledged to limit foreign investment in Peru. Mr. Humala, who is 48, has since moderated his political discourse and reports say he has pledged to follow Brazil's market-friendly model.

Mr. Humala has promised to give poor Peruvians a greater share of the Andean nation's considerable mineral wealth and honor the free market.

Mr. Humala's brother, Antauro, is in prison for a 2005 rebellion against the government of then-President Alejandro Toledo. The rebellion left four police officers dead. Ollanta Humala has been accused of human rights abuses which have never been proven.