Independent Election Monitors Change Course, Will Go to Peru

Organization of American States monitors said Tuesday that they will return to supervise preparations for Peru’s Sunday runoff election with a crucial test of vote computers amid fraud fears and an opposition boycott.

“The mission has decided that its observers [will] restart their activities,” said Eduardo Stein, head of election monitors for the OAS, the region’s top diplomatic body. The OAS had withdrawn its supervision of the vote preparations Monday, citing grave flaws in the vote-counting software.

The results of today’s test by the National Electoral Office will probably determine whether the OAS withdraws backing for the vote, considered crucial for the legitimacy of an election in which President Alberto Fujimori is running for a third term.

Rival Alejandro Toledo said he would boycott the election, which has been plagued by glitches in the vote-counting computers since April’s first round, unless there is a delay to give monitors more time to solve the problems.

A sudden spurt in support for Toledo, a free marketeer with populist touches, robbed Fujimori of an outright win in the April 9 voting amid opposition street protests sparked by fears of government-sponsored fraud after a slow count.