June 5th
Venezuelan Foreign Affairs vice-minister for Latin America and the Caribbean, Pavel Rondón, declared that, following the election of Social-Democrat Alan García as the new President of Peru, strained bilateral relations persist.

"For now, the situation remains the way it is. This has been the order. So far, there have been no changes," Rondón told local Unión Radio station, as quoted by Efe.

On May 28th, Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez once again warned he would severe diplomatic ties with Lima if García won the presidency.

García "is a bandit, an irresponsible person, and he is torpedoing relations with a friendly country. How can anyone have diplomatic relations or anything with a government headed by such a tramp like him," Chávez said during an official visit to Bolivia.

"Existing relations and commitments with the Peruvian people, which are beneficial for both Peruvians and Venezuelans, are still in place, regardless the fact that neither of the two countries has an ambassador in the other," Rondón asserted.

García obtained 54.6 percent of ballots in the second round of the Peruvian presidential election held on June 4th, while his rival nationalist Ollanta Humala received 45.3 percent of votes, with 83.9 percent of ballots counted.

On June 4th, following the official announcement of his victory, García declared: "Today the majority has sent a message in favor of Peruvian independence and sovereignty. We have defeated the efforts of Mr. (Hugo) Chávez to include us in his strategy to spread his retrograde militarist model he has tried to implemented in Latin America," Reuters reported.

Peruvian Foreign Affairs minister Oscar Maúrtua before the General Assembly of the Organization of American States in Santo Domingo publicly denounced the Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez' "inadmissible" interference in Peru recent electoral process.
"I must express the deep rejection of the Peruvian Government and people against the inadmissible and systematic manifestations of interference of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez during the electoral process," Maúrtua told the Foreign Affairs ministers of the 32 OAS member states, AFP reported.

"His (Chávez') permanent interventionist stance intended to influence the choice of the Peruvian people amounts to a despicable fact," Maúrtua added during the second day of the OAS General Assembly in Santo Domingo.

The election on June 4th of Social Democrat candidate Alan García as the new Peruvian President has been the best reply of the people to meddling of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez in their elections, US Under Secretary of State Robert Zoellick said.

"The best reply was given by the Peruvian people, who decided to vote President García instead of Chávez' candidate (Nationalist Ollanta Humala)," the diplomatic said during a press conference concomitantly with the summit of the Organization of American States (OAS) in Santo Domingo.

Previously, in a plenary session at the General Assembly, Zoellick asked OAS member states to show solidarity with Peru due to the interference of the Venezuelan President.
"In Peru, the Government has had to file a complaint at OAS Permanent Council for foreign interference," he noted.

"We ought to express solidarity with endangered democratic governments," the official added.

According to Venezuelan Foreign Minister Alí Rodríguez, diplomatic relations with Peru following the victory of Social Democrat candidate in the elections for president held on June 4th would depend on the course taken by the incoming government.

Rodríguez stressed that at the present time there is neither Peruvian ambassador to Venezuela nor Venezuelan ambassador to Peru.

Bilateral relations deteriorated when Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez and Peruvian president-elect Alan García lashed out at each other during the second round in Peruvian elections and due to the charges of meddling in the domestic policy for Chávez' support of Nationalist candidate Ollanta Humala.

Chávez vowed recently to break off diplomatic relations in the event of García becoming the winner.

Rodríguez lamented that Peruvian representative Oscar Maúrtua de Romaña had charged Venezuela with interference in domestic affairs.

June 6th
The Venezuelan government is to ponder on the new political situation in Peru following the victory of Alan García in the elections for president in order to take again the diplomatic way and get bilateral relations back to normal, DPA reported.

Foreign Minister Alí Rodríguez repeated during an interview with Colombian Radio Caracol that normal relations with Lima would depend on "the new conditions after the polls in Peru."

"So far, relations are not over. While the ambassadors are not in Lima and Caracas, there is still business and Venezuela is keeping an eye on future ties between the two countries," the minister explained.

In the event of a new stance in the incoming Peruvian government headed by Social Democrat García, then Venezuela will work on improving bilateral relations.

"The election of Alan García as president was a sovereign decision. It was the decision of the Peruvian people," the official pointed out.

The Organization of American States (OAS) closed its annual meeting in Santo Domingo in the midst of cross-accusations between Venezuela and Peru. Additional prevailing issues were Venezuela's nomination to the United Nations (UN) Security Council and a dramatic report on human rights under the government of President Hugo Chávez.

Claims of interference both by Lima and Caracas, both behind closed doors and in the open, prevailed in the first two rounds of the summit. In the meantime, US Under Secretary of State Robert Zoellick praised the defeat of Nationalist candidate Ollanta Humala, supported by Chávez.

June 7th
Social Democrat candidate Alan García, the winner in the Peruvian elections for president, championed good, respectful relations with Venezuela, and noted that he is not interested in leading a hemispheric movement against Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez, AFP quoted.

Alan García was elected Peruvian president on June 4th. Based on the data from the National Electoral Processes Office (Onpe), García got 52.77 percent out of a total of 95.59 percent of counted ballots. Challenger Ollanta Humala, supported by President Chávez, got 47.22 percent.

"I hope to consolidate good, respectful relations with Venezuela. Respectful, I insist. We are not interested in leading a hemispheric anti-Chávez movement. As long as there is not meddling in internal affairs, we are interested in normal relations," García asserted.

The remarks during a press conference with the foreign media came the day after Venezuelan Foreign Minister Alí Rodríguez claimed at the Organization of American States (OAS) General Assembly in Santo Domingo, that future bilateral relations depend on the Peruvian government stance.

"How will be the future of relations between the government of Peru and the government of Venezuela? It is up to the Peruvian government," Rodríguez admonished.

Juan Luis Cardinal Cipriani, the Lima Archbishop, expects that strained Peruvian-Venezuelan relations get back to normal following exchange of accusations, AP reported.

"Both countries and both people are fellows. I hope that the Latin American unity can be reestablished by taking aside adjectives and completely superfluous words," Monsignor Cipriani told reporters after a meeting with President-elect Alan García. The priest visited García to congratulate him for his victory.

García and Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez lashed out at each other in mid April. Then, the candidate accused Chávez of meddling in Peruvian internal affairs by his support to Nationalist candidate Ollanta Humala.

Humala was defeated in the second round last on June 4th.

Chávez' comments on Peruvian elections bothered the Government. As a result, the Peruvian ambassador to Caracas was recalled and Venezuela replied likewise.
Peruvian attempts at the Organization of American States (OAS) to produce a decision against Venezuela did not bear fruit, sources of the Venezuelan Foreign Ministry told Efe.
 
According to the sources, the claims by Peruvian Foreign Minister Oscar Maúrtua were intended to make a media impact.

Based on a press release from the Foreign Ministry, the Peruvian Government attempt at condemning Venezuela for alleged meddling in internal affairs should be overcome in a bilateral manner. Venezuelan Permanent Representative at OAS Jorge Valero added that delegates did not welcome the Peruvian request.

"They could not make it. On the contrary, we have found here much affinity with the Bolivarian Government. Its contribution to hemispheric democracy and comprehensive development of the countries has been acknowledged due to the cooperation policies that are being bolstered."

Relations between Peru and Venezuela, gone to the level of charges d'affaires over a month ago, might be back to normal despite threats to break off by the Government of President Hugo Chávez, analysts and political leaders told AFP.

Following the triumph of Social Democrat candidate Alan García in the elections for president last on June 4th in Peru, both Caracas and Lima has reacted cautiously.
Venezuelan Foreign Minister Alí Rodríguez Araque declared that future bilateral links would depend on the Peruvian Government attitude.

For his part, García expected "good, respectful relations" and added that he was not looking forward to championing a hemispheric movement against Chávez.
In the opinion of Carlos Romero, an expert in foreign affairs of Central University of Venezuela (UCV), normal relations are in the interest both of the incoming Peruvian Government and the Venezuelan Government.

"Alan García won the elections, but Ollanta Humala got a high percentage. The difference between them is increasingly closer, and it is anticipated that it will eventually be of 4 percent. García should make a great balance effort to rule," Romero said.

Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo said during an interview published in a Brazilian newspaper that at the end of his incumbency, he would fight populism fueled by petrodollars in Latin America, Efe quoted.

"When I leave the presidency, I will become a warrior against cheap populism of petrodollars," Toledo told daily newspaper Folha de Sao Paolo. Additionally, reference was made to interference of Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez in the Peruvian elections.
The Peruvian head of state voiced again his differences with Chávez due to meddling in the elections won on June 4th by ex President Alan García, the candidate of Partido Aprista Peruano (PAP).

Continued Chávez remarks on behalf of Nationalist candidate Ollanta Humala unleashed a diplomatic crisis between the two countries.

Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez will not be invited to the takeover of Peruvian President-elect Alan García next July 28th, according to Congressman Luis Gonzáles Posada, for Partido Aprista, AP quoted.
 
Posada claimed that the Venezuelan ruler is not welcome. "No way," he answered with regard to the possibility of Chávez attending the ceremony.

"He has insulted him (García), has insulted President Alejandro Toledo, who is a head of state. He has threatened Peru. There are dignity issues here that should prevail," Gonzáles maintained. The official was Foreign Minister during García's first term in 1985-1990.

Chávez "is a defiant who has picked a quarrel with everybody," according to the official. "A significant effort should be made to try to find meeting points," he added.

The Venezuelan-Peruvian confrontation did not go beyond "spitshed" and both countries will manage to compromise and settle, Marco Aurelio García, the advisor for foreign affairs to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva said, as quoted by AP.

Also, if requested, the Brazilian Government would be ready to help reestablish a good dialogue between Caracas and Lima, the advisor added.

García told reporters at the Congress that Lula would leave for Lima on July 27th to bid farewell to outgoing Peruvian President Alejandro Toledo and attend Alan García's inauguration the following day.

"It was a war of words, just a spitshed. There is bloodshed in other countries and nonetheless people come to terms," he maintained.

June 9th
Peruvian president-elect Alan García asked Friday Venezuelan President Hugo Chávez to remain in the Andean Community of Nations (CAN) in order to negotiate as a single block a trade agreement with the European Union (EU).

"I think that CAN could negotiate a good countervailing agreement with the European Union and Venezuela's participation would be something really important," García said during a press conference with foreign correspondents in Lima.