Sawt Falasteen - Peru's leftist candidate tells AFP he seeks 'respectful' ties with Trump

Roberto Sanchez, locked in a neck-and-neck contest with conservative rival Keiko Fujimori, struck a deliberately cautious tone when asked about the often bruising US leader.

"Good neighborliness, respectful relations between nations, and strengthening our political, cultural and trade ties should always be a priority," Sanchez told AFP, adding that Peru-US relations "cannot be an exception."

Trump, who has intervened in several Latin American elections during his second term, has so far stayed silent on Peru.

On the eve of the election, Sanchez sought to reassure undecided voters and jittery markets, distancing himself from past calls for radical change.

"Whoever wants to govern has to be sensible," he told reporters earlier Friday, while underlining continuity in economic policy, citing respect for central bank independence and long-standing macroeconomic rules.

"Our international outlook is based on economic openness and macroeconomic stability," Sanchez said.

- 'A goal is a goal' -

Sanchez also dangled the prospect of a massive port deal for American investors -- one that would rival a Chinese port concession at Chancay north of Lima that has long irked the White House.

US officials have privately voiced concern about the strategic implications of the concession, which they believe could be used for military and commercial purposes.

Sanchez defended the Chinese project while stressing he would also welcome US investment.

Like sport, he said, "a goal is a goal."

"In its first year of operation, China has contributed 1.5 percent of GDP through the port-related commercial activity," he said.

"We are not going to block it, but we do have to demand, as always, sovereignty and standards, in tax terms and in development terms, so that it benefits the population."

China is Peru's main trading partner, but Sanchez said ties with Washington remain historically important.

"In that sense, I am a driver and promoter of another very important port investment, which could include other sources of capital, including American capital," Sanchez said.

"I am talking about the Corio port terminal, in Arequipa, which could be five times larger than Chancay."

Polls show Sanchez and Fujimori separated by only a few percentage points, with crime and insecurity dominating voter concerns.

Both Sanchez and Fujimori made a final campaign pitch to voters on Thursday night, with ardent flag-waving supporters arguing the other side would bring the country to ruin.

"We cannot let them win with communism and terrorism," said bandana-wearing 65-year-old Fujimori supporter Merida Delgado Perez, expressing fears that Sanchez could lead Peru down a leftist path seen in Venezuela and Cuba.

Fujimori, seeking the presidency in her fourth attempt, has campaigned on a hardline security platform, promising military deployments and tougher prisons to confront rising extortion and violent crime.

N.AbuHussein--SF-PST