In April 2008, Paraguayans voted in presidential and legislative elections. Lugo, a former Catholic bishop representing the left-leaning Patriotic Alliance for Change (APC), won the ballot with 42.3 per cent of the vote. Presidential candidates in Paraguay are not compelled to garner more than 50 per cent of the vote in order to win the election.

Lugo’s victory ended six decades of one-party rule in Paraguay. The National Republican Association – Red Party (ANR) had been in power since 1947, even during the dictatorship of Alfredo Stroessner. Lugo—who is known in Paraguay as "the Bishop of the Poor"—took office in August 2008.

In April 2009, Lugo’s personal life was the object of scrutiny, as he acknowledged that he fathered a child in 2006 while he was still a Roman Catholic bishop. Some members of the opposition called on the president to resign, but he declined to do so.

Last month, Lugo’s personal life was again in the news as he revealed he would have to undergo chemotherapy to treat a lymphatic cancer. The president is flying regularly to a specialized medical centre in Sao Paulo, Brazil, to get his treatment.

Earlier this month, Lugo said after receiving his first chemotherapy: "The treatment will take several months and I’m going to follow it meticulously to get well and serve the people who elected me to govern until 2013. So let the people remain calm. The health of the president has improved substantially."

Polling Data

How would you rate the performance of Fernando Lugo in the first two years of his mandate?

In June 2006, García—a member of the American Revolutionary People’s Alliance (APRA)—won Peru’s presidential election in a run-off against nationalist Ollanta Humala of the Union for Peru (UP). In July, García officially took over as president. He had previously served as Peru’s head of state from 1985 to 1990, when he oversaw a major economic crisis.

In October 2008, García accepted the resignation of his entire cabinet following allegations of corruption related to oil concessions. Leftist politician and Lambayeque region president Yehude Simón took over as Peru’s new prime minister.

In June 2009, Simón acknowledged his failure in handling an indigenous uprising in the Amazon region in reaction to new government mining and resource-exploitation laws, and tendered his resignation. Simón was replaced by Congress president Javier Velásquez in a new cabinet shuffle.

Earlier this month, García expressed support for the death penalty for child rapists and murderers, declaring, "The rape of a little boy causing his death is such an awful crime that has to be chastened by killing not only the criminal but showing their heads to society. There are certain crimes that must be paid with the criminal’s life."

The next presidential and congressional elections are scheduled for Apr. 10, 2011. García is constitutionally barred from seeking a consecutive term in office.

Polling Data

Do you approve or disapprove of Alan García’s performance as president?

Source: Ipsos, Apoyo, Opinión y Mercado / El Comercio
Methodology: Interviews with 1,200 Peruvian adults, conducted from Aug. 11 and Aug. 13, 2010. Margin of error is 2.8 per cent.

Conversely, 32 per cent of respondents think Fernández de Kirchner will seek her re-election.

In October 2007, Fernández de Kirchner won the presidential election with 44.9 per cent of the vote as the candidate for the Front for Victory (FV). In December, Mrs. Kirchner succeeded her husband as Argentina’s head of state. The outgoing president was praised for fostering an economic recovery after a major crisis in 2002. Fernández de Kirchner vowed to address poverty and carry on with her husband’s fiscal policies.

The FV has not confirmed whether Cristina or Néstor will run for office in the 2011 presidential election.

Earlier this month, former president Kirchner commented on the possibility of him or his wife being becoming the FV candidate next year, declaring, "There may be penguin, female penguin."

Polling Data

Who do you think will be the ruling party’s candidate in the 2011 presidential election?

In October 2007, Fernández de Kirchner won the presidential election with 44.9 per cent of the vote as the candidate for the Front for Victory (FV). In December, Mrs. Kirchner succeeded her husband, Néstor Kirchner, as Argentina’s head of state. The outgoing president was praised for fostering an economic recovery after a major crisis in 2002. Fernández de Kirchner vowed to address poverty and carry on with her husband’s fiscal policies.

In March 2008, the government faced weeks of massive protests by farmers angered by the introduction of a variable tax on soybean exports. Senators voted down the tax in July. The crisis prompted a cabinet re-shuffle.

Earlier this month, Fernández de Kirchner warned opposition lawmakers not to go ahead with a proposal to increase minimum monthly pension payments and link them to the minimum wage, saying, "If they approve the projects that they are discussing, in three months we would be in default."

The Lower House of Congress approved the bill, which will likely be vetoed by the president.

Polling Data

Do you have a positive or negative opinion of Cristina Fernández de Kirchner?

Jose Serra of the Brazilian Party of Social Democracy (PSDB) is second with 32 per cent, down three points. Marina Silva of the Green Party (PV) is third with seven per cent.

In a run-off scenario, Rousseff is ahead of Serra by 10 points.

Luis Inacio Lula da Silva—a member of the PT—won the October 2002 presidential election with 61 per cent of the vote in a run-off against Serra. In October 2006, he earned a new four-year term, defeating PSDB candidate Geraldo Alckmin with 60.8 per cent of the vote in the second round.

Lula has publicly endorsed Rousseff as his preferred successor. In February, the PT officially selected Rousseff as the party’s presidential candidate.

In March, Rousseff stepped down as Lula’s chief of staff and Serra resigned as governor of the state of Sao Paulo in order to launch their presidential bids.

Lawmaker Indio da Costa of the Democrats (DEM/RJ) is Serra’s running-mate. Rousseff’s vice-presidential candidate is Michel Temer, leader of the lower house of Congress and a member of the Brazilian Democratic Movement Party (PMDB).

On Aug. 6, Rousseff and Serra participated in a televised debate. Serra vowed to invest more in health and infrastructure, declaring, "Travelling on federal highways in Brazil today is a public danger."

Lula is ineligible for a third term in office. The first round of Brazil’s next presidential election is scheduled for Oct. 3.

Polling Data

Which of these candidates would you vote for in the next presidential election?

Lima mayor Luis Castañeda Lossio of the National Solidarity Party (PSN) is tied for first place also with 20 per cent. Former president Alejandro Toledo is third with 14 per cent, followed by Ollanta Humala of the Peruvian Nationalist Party (PNP) with 12 per cent. Support is lower for television personality and writer Jaime Bayly, congresswoman Lourdes Alcorta of the Popular Christian Party (PPC), former economy minister Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, current prime minister Javier Velásquez, and Trujillo city mayor César Acuña.

In June 2006, Alan García—a member of American Revolutionary People’s Alliance (APRA)—won Peru’s presidential election in a run-off against Humala. In July, García officially took over as president. He had previously served as Peru’s head of state from 1985 to 1990, when he oversaw a major economic crisis.

In April 2009, Alberto Fujimori was found guilty "beyond all reasonable doubt" of four charges laid against him—including misuse of public funds, kidnapping and murder—and sentenced to serve 25 years in prison. In September, Fujimori was handed a new six-year sentence, this time for corruption. Keiko Fujimori has said she will grant her father a pardon if elected.

Vladimiro Montesinos, Fujimori’s closest advisor and the head of Peru’s National Intelligence Service (SIN) during his decade-long tenure, has been convicted in 13 different trials for crimes such as plotting against national security, arms dealing and embezzlement. He is currently serving a 20-year sentence in Peru and awaiting a verdict on other 50 or so processes against him.

Montesinos has declared that Keiko Fujimori’s college tuition was paid with funds coming from the SIN. Although this claim has been previously deemed as insufficient evidence to pursue an investigation against the presidential candidate, prosecutor Gladyz Echaiz decided to reopen the case earlier this month

Prime minister Velásquez publicly condemned Echaiz’s decision, declaring, "If they want to investigate, why don’t they wait until elections are over? I don’t want to question Echaiz, but I see this as an excess."

The next presidential and congressional elections are scheduled for Apr. 10, 2011. If no presidential candidate garners more than 50 per cent of all cast ballots in the first round, a run-off between the top two vote-getters must take place.

Polling Data

If the 2011 presidential election were held tomorrow, who would you vote for?

Source: Ipsos, Apoyo, Opinión y Mercado / El Comercio
Methodology: Interviews with 1,200 Peruvian adults, conducted from Aug. 11 and Aug. 13, 2010. Margin of error is 2.8 per cent.

Correa, a former finance minister, ran for president as an independent leftist under the Alliance Country (AP) banner. In November 2006, Correa won a run-off with 56.69 per cent of the vote. He officially took over as Ecuador’s head of state in January 2007. Correa’s party nominated no candidates to the National Congress.

In September 2008, Ecuadorian voters ratified a new constitution in a nationwide referendum. The draft was approved by the pro-government majority in the Constituent Assembly. Under the terms of the new constitution, Ecuador held a presidential election in April 2009. Final results gave Correa 51.95 per cent of the vote. For the first time in 30 years, the Ecuadorian presidential election did not require a run-off.

Earlier this month, Ecuador’s government passed a new hydrocarbon law that will outline the re-negotiation of revenues with foreign oil and gas companies. On Jul. 26, Correa said oil companies would immediately begin to receive new contract drafts.

Alexis Mera, legal adviser to the president’s office, said that under the new regulations the State will have to earn "at least 25 per cent of all raw royalties" of oil companies.

Polling Data

Do you approve or disapprove of Rafael Correa’s performance as president?

Piñera’s disapproval rating increased by six points and now stands at 40 per cent.

In January, Chileans voted in the second round of the presidential election. Opposition candidate Piñera of the centre-right Coalition for Change (CC) defeated former president Eduardo Frei of the governing centre-left Agreement of Parties for Democracy (CPD) with 51.61 per cent of the vote. In March, Piñera was sworn in as president.

The CPD had administered the Chilean government since the return of democracy after the dictatorship of Augusto Pinochet in March 1990. Michelle Bachelet—who became the first South American woman to be democratically elected as president in 2006—was ineligible for a consecutive term in office.

On Aug. 5, 33 workers were trapped after the collapse of a gold and copper mine near the northern city of Copiapo. Rescue operations are still under way.

On Aug. 11, Piñera fired three top officials in connection with the incident, declaring, "We have called for a vast restructuring within the national service of geology and mining (Sernageomin), and for a team of experts to work with the mining minister to ensure this restructuring happens as soon as possible."

Polling Data

Do you approve or disapprove of President Sebastián Piñera?

Chinchilla won the February 2010 presidential election as the National Liberation Party (PLN) candidate with 46.78 per cent of the vote. She took over from fellow PLN member Óscar Arias in May.

Chinchilla discussed the results of the survey, saying. "We have been in office for just a few days, and I think the good thing to do is admit that there is room for growth."

Polling Data

How would you rate the performance of Laura Chinchilla as president?