Peruvian President condemned by Congress on electoral fraud

A new scandal for the embattled South American leader who has already faced corruption charges

A Congressional commission has found Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo guilty of electoral fraud in 2000 vote and weighs to recommend vacating the presidency before passing the case to the chamber. The panel's recommendations now go to Congress, where the government has a narrow majority.

According to the findings, which took seven months to complete, Mr Toledo's Peru Possible party forged almost 80% of the 520,000 signatures it used to register for the poll, which it subsequently lost. The President denied helping to fake signatures to register his political party for election.

In an attempt to regain some political initiative, Toledo accused his opponents of “conspiracy against democracy”, as the commission accused both the president and his sister Margarita of being involved in the scandal. Two of the panel members refused to sign the document accusing Toledo.

Analysts belive this is the worst of a series of scandals that has left Toledo with less than 10% of support among the local population, as per the last polls. With just over a year left in office, the political climate in Peru has gathered steam against Toledo, as the opposition readies to run for a post which still has no favorite candidates.

Despite good macroeconomic figures, Toledo failed to bring prosperity to the poor majority, as teared into pieces his anti-corruption ticket, which championed in the 2001 victory.

On the photo: Peru's President Alejandro Toledo