Lima, Peru ? Alan Garcia, whose 1985-90 presidency left Peru in economic ruin, won the office back Sunday in a runoff against a fiery nationalist ex-soldier endorsed by Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez.

It was a stunning comeback for a man whose name had been equated with political disaster – and a rejection of a political upstart enthusiastically endorsed by Venezuela’s anti-U.S. president.

Garcia held an insurmountable lead of 55.5 percent against 44.5 percent for Ollanta Humala with 77.3 percent of the vote counted, said the head of the electoral agency, Magdalena Chu.

The margin could shrink, however, as Humala’s support is strongest in rural areas where vote reporting is slower.

Garcia, speaking even before the official results, said his victory showed Peruvians want no part of the “militaristic, retrograde model” that Chavez was trying to impose in South America.