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(LIP-wb) -- Carlos Tapia, spokesman of Peru's "Partido Nacionalista Peruana" (PNP) led by ex-presidential candidate Ollanta Humala, said they were not defeated in yesterday's regional and municipal elections and added that President Alan Garcia's APRA party is “the great loser”.

Tapia emphasized that just after nine months of existence the Nationalistic Party has reached an important representation on a provincial and regional level, after winning more than hundred mayorships and twenty provincial races.

“Nationwide we have won between 120 to 150 electoral races for local mayors and we are going to win between 15 to 17 provinces. Certainly this doesn't meet all our expectations, but we have an important national representation at a provincial and municipal level”, he said last night, although official results are not yet known.

In declarations to the Andina news agency, Tapia commented these elections demonstrate that all of Peru's traditional parties have not managed to represent the population outside the capital of Lima.

"The great loser is the APRA, a party that exists for 80 years. It is unfair to compare us with a party governing the country and was governing twelve Peruvian regions until yesterday. Losing the elections in the city of Trujillo, the party's birthplace, is a moral defeat for the Apra and has serious repercussions”, he referred.

Tapia pointed out that none of the established political parties can say they “have won”, because overall 55 percent of the votes went to independent groups or regional political movements.

“We think that we have advanced as a new political force”, he concluded.

Meanwhile, President Alan Garcia congratulated the re-elected mayor of Lima, Luis Castaneda Lossio, but prefers to stay neutral as for the rest of the results throughout the country.

In a first statement, Lourdes Flores Nano considered the results have opened "a wonderful stage for her party's development" and emphasized the virtual triumphs of Unidad Nacional in Ica and Piura.

“I believe this election demonstrates that there is progress in urban Peru. There is a popular expectation of change which, in some places, is being pronounced in our favor”, she added.

She stressed that the endorsement given to Lima's mayor Luis Castaneda Lossio is a well deserved recognition of wonderful municipal administration and now they must assume the commitment to the voters.

When being asked about the APRA's defeat in Trujillo, she said when she was visiting the city last Tuesday she felt the winds of change. “Truijillo is evidence of a changing Peru towards success and prosperity. In Trujillo, today is the day of agro-exporters, small companies, and the future”, she said.

ONPE announced that the official results (100% of votes counted in every district, city and region) will be known in about 15 days.

- related websites -

- ONPE (official results)

- El Comercio

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