Peru's presidential election to be determined by undecided voters

The last week of campaigning in a tight presidential race in Peru began on Sunday with the final debate between the two candidates. Both Keiko Fujimori and Ollanta Humala used the occasion to present their plans but also to attack each other. They avoided answering one another's questions as well as those posed by Peruvians who had been invited to participate in the debate, which was broadcast live nationwide.

The forced smiles of the two contenders when they shook hands after the debate illustrated just how uncomfortable these two politicians from opposite sides of the spectrum really are about each other. It is also a reflection of how the race has polarized a country of 29 million, as it becomes clearer that the elections will be swayed by the large number of undecided voters. Analysts and journalists were also split as to who won the debate.

With less than a week to go before Sunday's runoff race, polls show both Fujimori and Humala almost neck and neck with the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori slightly ahead of her opponent. The last poll taken before the debate by the Peruvian polling firm Datum gave Fujimori of the Fuerza 2011 alliance 46.6 percent of the ballot with Humala garnering 42.5 percent. At least eight percent of voters are still undecided. Under Peruvian law, no polls can be taken in the last week of the race.

The leftist daily La República presented a study that showed Humala winning the race. The former ex-army officer has climbed in the polls in the last few weeks.

Sunday's debate was broken into four segments so that the candidates could discuss poverty, crime and drug trafficking, democracy and the economy.

Humala, who was the first to speak, said he would introduce a broad social program to help poor people across Peru and attacked Fujimori for the human rights violations her father was convicted of ordering during his fight against the Shining Path Marxist insurgency in the early 2000s.

Representing the nationalist Win Peru alliance, Humala promised to raise the minimum salary and said his proposal to give every senior over 65 a retirement plan would be accomplished without touching private pension funds.

"When Ms. Fujimori served as first lady [following her father's acrimonious divorce from her mother], Alberto Fujimori embezzled $600 million, enough money to finance 'Pensión 65' for more than five years to benefit 120 thousand Peruvians."

Fujimori also focused her attacks on Humala, whom she accused of not being consistent. She reminded him of the many times he had to modify his own government platform before the first round of elections held on April 11, and criticized him for hiring aides to former President Alejandro Toledo, whom he once despised. "You have more government platforms than I do, which only generates mistrust," she said.

Earlier this week, Toledo, who also ran but lost during the first round, gave his support to Humala on his Facebook page, according to the Lima daily El Comercio.

Visibly upset by Humala's constant attempts to link her to her father, Fujimori responded: "I am the candidate. If you want to debate with me, confront me about my ideas. If you want to debate with Alberto Fujimori, I suggest you go to DIROES [the high security prison where he is serving a 25-year term]."