by Vanessa Neuman, The Weekly Standard, USA - The elections in Peru, which were held on April 10, are a stern lesson in Latin American politics and its complexities. Consider the following: Peru’s conservative president since 2006, Alán García, has been wildly successful at growing his country economically, especially during a time of a worldwide economic downturn. But in Latin America, that’s apparently not enough for electoral success.

President Obama acknowledged the Peruvian miracle almost a year ago. “Peru I think has been an extraordinary success story over the last several years,” Obama said in remarks delivered from the Oval Office with García on June 1, 2010. “We’ve seen not only the solidification of a thriving democracy, but also an extraordinary economic success story. And even last year in the midst of a very tough global recession, we saw that Peru was able to remain resilient. And I think that’s a testimony to the President’s leadership on this front.”