PERU: Alejandro Toledo

The simple fact is that commercial TV can find ample time for riots in Peru but not for constructive news. Rusty Bentley takes to task those who dismiss Peru as just another miserable Latin American country: "While in Shanghai for the APEC, Toledo was interviewed on CCT channel 9 (English language news channel). He was a wonderful breath of fresh air with exciting but realistic plans for the future of Peru. Very impressive and knowledgeable and yet humble in demeanor and a gentle man and a gentleman. My wife and I both thought Peru is lucky to have such a leader as this. The U.S. and its media seem to think Peru, "isn't it like part of Mexico, you know I mean like sort of", is newsworthy only if hombre actually bites the perro". Man bites dog, Bring in the TV cameras!

Ronald Hilton - 8/7/02