Peru: Peruvians have voted for a new president in a tight race which pitted a leftist vowing a "revolution" for the poor against a former president who left the country in economic chaos and a business-friendly conservative bidding to be Peru's first female leader.
Leading pre-election polls was Ollanta Humala (43), a former army commander and ally of Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez, who would become the latest in a string of Latin American left-wingers who have risen to power challenging US policies.
"Today, with our vote, we have the chance to initiate a major transformation of our country," Mr Humala told reporters.
Surveys had shown Mr Humala holding a slight lead over his two main rivals, but unlikely to garner the more than 50 per cent needed to avoid a run-off. He is expected to face either Lourdes Flores, a former congresswoman, or Alan Garcia, a left-of-centre former president, in a second round in May.
Mr Humala has deeply divided Peruvians. Peru's upper classes and business leaders worry he represents a return to autocratic rule, while the poor have rallied around his message promising to redistribute the country's wealth to help them.
Thousands of angry Peruvians demonstrated against Mr Humala as he voted in a middle-class Lima neighbourhood, shouting "murderer, murderer!" and "Ollanta is Chavez!"
Many hurled rubbish at him before he was escorted away by riot police carrying shields.
Mr Humala has faced allegations of human rights abuses and killings, which he denies, as an army commander as Peru fought the Shining Path insurgency of the 1980s and early 1990s.
Viewed as an outsider in a country where the political class is widely discredited, Mr Humala has led a campaign that feeds on the widespread discontent among Peru's poor majority, who say they have not benefited from years of strong economic growth.
Mr Humala pledges to increase state control of the economy and raise taxes on mining companies with "excessive" profits.
He has also vowed to industrialise production of coca, the raw material for cocaine, and block a free-trade agreement with the United States - raising concern in Washington.
Mr Humala's praise of Peru's 1970s military dictatorship and attacks on big business and fiery speeches railing against "the dictatorship" of the rich and corrupt government have resonated in poor areas, as it worried the European-descended elites.
"Humala represents a change - running water, work and an end to the corruption by our dirty politicians," said Roberto Diaz (34), after voting in a Lima slum.
Mr Humala has not held elected office. He rose to prominence after leading a failed coup against former president Alberto Fujimori in 2000, months before corruption allegations and violent street protests toppled Mr Fujimori's government.
"Humala is a jump into the unknown, it's a return to military rule," said Ricardo Ladron de Guevarra (28), a student voting for Ms Flores in an affluent Lima neighbourhood.
"Lourdes [ Flores] isn't the best candidate, but I'm afraid of Humala and Garcia."
Recent polls showed Mr Humala's top two rivals, both seasoned politicians, trailing him by an increasingly narrow margin.
The last Apoyo poll showed Mr Humala with 27 per cent and Mr Garcia and Ms Flores tied for second place with 23 per cent.
Mr Garcia (56) presided over economic turmoil and surging Shining Path rebel violence during his 1985-90 term.
Ms Flores (46), a lawyer who topped polls only months ago, has played up her potential role as Peru's first female leader in a country where women are perceived as more honest, but has so far failed to connect with the poor.
- (Reuters)