Key facts
- Keiko Fujimori leads Peru's presidential election with 50.002% of the vote after over 98% of ballots were counted.
- Roberto Sanchez trails Fujimori by approximately 600 votes.
- The election outcome hinges on the review of over 1,600 contested ballots, a process expected to take weeks.
- Peru's National Elections Jury (JNE) is overseeing the review of contested ballots.
- Markets have recovered from a prior selloff, with Peru's stock index up 2.6% and the sol currency rising 0.73%.
Keiko Fujimori, the conservative candidate, has narrowly taken the lead in Peru's presidential election runoff against progressive Roberto Sanchez, with over 98% of ballots counted. Fujimori holds a razor-thin advantage of approximately 600 votes, representing 50.002% of the vote compared to Sanchez's 49.998%, according to preliminary counts from Peru's ONPE electoral authority. The outcome now hinges on the review of more than 1,600 contested ballots, representing around 400,000 votes, which have been sent to the National Elections Jury (JNE) for a process expected to take weeks. Sanchez, who had previously overtaken Fujimori buoyed by rural votes, has expressed concerns about "strange, unusual and questionable developments" and met with international observers. Fujimori, daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, has stated she will await the final count. Markets have recovered from an earlier selloff, with Peru's main stock index rising 2.6% and the sol currency gaining 0.73% against the dollar on Thursday.