Clinton to Meet With Incoming Peruvian President

Posted July 5th, 2011 at 7:55 pm (UTC-5)
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U.S. officials say Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will meet Wednesday with Peruvian President-elect Ollanta Humala in Washington.

State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland Tuesday said officials very much welcome Mr. Humala's visit to the United States and look forward to continuing to strengthen U.S. ties with Peru.

The incoming Peruvian president and leftist former army officer was elected last month following a runoff election. He narrowly beat Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of imprisoned former president Alberto Fujimori. In 2000, Mr. Humala launched a failed military coup against then-president Fujimori.

Mr. Humala's victory comes five years after he lost the presidential race to incumbent Alan Garcia, who leaves office July 28.

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.

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