Key facts
- Keiko Fujimori holds a narrow lead over Roberto Sanchez in Peru's presidential election.
- The count includes thousands of contested ballots from the June 7 runoff.
- Fujimori leads by 50.051% to Sanchez's 49.949% with 98.59% of votes tallied.
- Sanchez has raised suspicions about the vote recount and previously requested the invalidation of overseas votes.
- Official results could take days or weeks to be announced.
- Election observation missions from the OAS and EU urged patience for the final tally.
Right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori has extended her marginal lead over leftist rival Roberto Sanchez in Peru's closely contested presidential race, as the count of thousands of disputed ballots continues. Fujimori regained the lead last week, bolstered by overseas votes, and as of Monday held 50.051% of the vote, with just over 18,300 votes separating her from Sanchez's 49.949%.
Peru's National Office of Electoral Processes has tallied 98.59% of the votes. The electoral board began reviewing contested ballots from the June 7 runoff election last Thursday, and authorities indicate that official results could still take days or weeks to be announced, marking one of the country's closest elections in history.
Sanchez traveled to the Andean region of Cusco over the weekend, a stronghold for his support, where he voiced "suspicions" about the vote recount. Last week, his request to invalidate approximately 400,000 overseas votes due to alleged transportation irregularities was rejected.
Supporters of Sanchez have held peaceful marches in the capital, Lima, in recent days, responding to his calls to "defend the people's vote." Both the Organization of American States and European Union election observation missions have stated that the voting proceeded normally and urged the country to await the official tally given the tight results.
Sanchez, whose political rise has concerned private investors, is backed by former leftist President Pedro Castillo, who was imprisoned for attempting to dissolve Congress in late 2022. Following the runoff election, financial markets saw a rebound last week as Fujimori's lead increased, reversing a selloff driven by fears of Sanchez's policies potentially impacting economic stability, according to traders.