Weekly Report - 3 February 2004

It was a very bad week for President Alejandro Toledo. His friend and former legal adviser César Almeyda was arrested after the discovery of his past dealings with the late General Oscar Villanueva, reputed bagman of the corrupt network set up by former security adviser Vladimiro Montesinos during the Fujimori years. Also, Vice-President Raúl Dí­ez Canseco finally decided that he could no longer hold on to his post after having relinquished his place on the cabinet as a result of allegations of nepotism. Interior minister Fernando Rospigliosi admitted that the administration was facing `a crisis and a governability problem' as an opinion survey showed Toledo's approval rating at its lowest ever (7.2%), 90.9% of respondents believing that he will not complete his term, and 92% wanting him to cut it short.