The Choice: Cancer or AIDS

I arrived just in time for the Peruvian elections on Sunday. The day was actually a lot calmer than I expected, giving me a chance to complete my grocery shopping and eat at my favorite seafood restaurant in Lima. Including the word 'seafood' is a bit repetitive ... if I'm going to go out to eat in Lima, it will definitely be at a seafood restaurant. Nonetheless, I roamed around downtown for a little bit and was a little disappointed that there weren't any random rallies or people driving in the streets waving banners. No worries, that magic didn't start until around 7, an hour before the national electoral court (the official branch of the government that manages elections, registration, etc.) was to call the election. I decided to attend the rally for the expected winner, which had an extra benefit of being the closest to the bus stop that I use. My preferred candidate was running neck-and-neck with the eventual second place winner and I didn't want to risk missing a winner's rally. How is second-place even considered a winner? Yes, I understand, in the U.S. we just generally accept the idea that second-place is the first loser for all of life's contest. Of course, there are occasional deviations from this assumption. For example, the second born child, but yet not to confuse this determination for the first-born male - just saying, Bridget ... I'm still the Golden Goose! Ah yes, my point. Anyways, if a presidential candidate does not win an absolute majority of votes in the first round of elections (which are held at the same time as the legislative elections, etc.), then a second round is held in June between the top-two vote winners to determine who will be president. The decisions is now between cancer and AIDS - words famously expressed by Peruvian writer Mario Vargas Llosa, who won the Nobel Prize in literature in 2010, to describe the choice between the top two candidates.

Anyways, the rally was pretty interesting. It was a little bit smaller than I thought it was going to be, but it was still exciting. People were dancing and waving their flags, it seemed to be a pretty good time for them.

Finally the big show decided to make his appearance. He spoke for about 20 minutes, energizing the crowd and encouraging them to keep on campaigning through the second-round. For now, it appears that those who did not win are rallying behind the second-place winner and, thus, the first-place winner has achieved his maximum support ... something very similar happened in 2006 when he won in the first round but lost in the second round.

Overall, things are getting off to a good start in Lima. I've already had one interview with a congress person and I'll be having another tomorrow. In addition, I've met with a few non-government workers who work closely with the government. The transition has been pretty smooth and I feel good being back in Lima.