Unpopular president says Peruvians sad by nature

LIMA, Peru – Peruvians are a mopey lot. So says their president, Alan Garcia.

Garcia tells Radioprogramas that an inbred national melancholy must be to blame for his low approval ratings at a time when the economy is booming.

Garcia tells the radio station Saturday that "We are what we are: sad, distrustful ... We have a natural lack of trust." He says that in contrast, Brazilians "have another sort of nature, joyful and sunny."

A recent Ipsos-Apoyo poll indicated just 34 percent approve of Garcia's presidency while 62 percent disapprove. The margin of error was 3 percentage points.

Critics attribute Garcia's problems to the fact that economic growth has not reached the poor majority, while Brazil's boom has been spread more widely.