Key facts
- Keiko Fujimori leads Roberto Sanchez by just over 1,000 votes in Peru's presidential election.
- Over 1,600 contested ballots, representing about 400,000 votes, are under review by the National Electoral Jury.
- Sanchez's campaign is seeking to annul votes from 1,750 polling stations due to alleged irregularities.
- The review process is expected to take weeks, with a final winner to be declared by July 15.
Peru's National Electoral Jury (JNE) is meticulously reviewing contested ballots following the conclusion of the initial count in the country's runoff presidential election. Conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori holds a razor-thin lead of just over 1,000 votes against leftist Roberto Sanchez, with approximately 18 million ballots cast in total. The outcome hinges on the review of over 1,600 polling stations' results, representing about 400,000 votes, a process expected to be highly scrutinized by both parties.
Sanchez's campaign has raised concerns about irregularities and is seeking the annulment of votes from 1,750 polling stations within Peru, as well as from 657 polling stations in the United States, citing issues with ballot transport. However, Peru's foreign minister, Carlos Pareja, stated that no problems were detected with the handling of foreign ballots. International observers from the European Union and the Organization of American States have reported that the election proceeded without major issues.
The review process for contested ballots is anticipated to take several weeks, with the JNE scheduled to declare an official winner by July 15. Most of the disputed votes originate from the Lima region, a stronghold for Fujimori, suggesting the review could potentially favor her candidacy.