Fuji, come back Chino

"Fuji, vuelve Chino" -- "Fuji, come back Chino"

At 10% approval rating, president Toledo is perhaps the least popular of all Latin American presidents. Some people attribute his low popularity to the fact that he's a "cholo" or a person of indigenous origin who's being put down by the white elite. However, this is probably not the whole story. Toledo came into power with a huge mandate, particularly from indigenous and poor mestizo groups feeling that he was one of their own who would work for their interest. He made many promises that many Peruvians say he has not kept. He has given in to demands from the IMF and the global powers that be and by doing so has insured that the poor remain so. Many Peruvians now wistfuly remember the days of Fujimori (aka "el Chino"). Fujimori himself has fanned such hopes by hinting that he will return from his self-imposed exile in Japan to run again for president. Of course, both his admirers--he has a higher approval rating than Toledo, though that's not saying much--and his opponents want him to come back. The former to see his political rebirth and the latter to see him tried and jailed. The Peruvian government recently made the latest in a series of formal requests to the Japanese government for his extradition. The Japanese government drags its feet. Perhaps they see him as a prodigal son.