In a closely contested runoff election, right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori of the People's Power party has emerged victorious in the Peru presidential election. After three previous defeats, Fujimori has finally secured the presidency on her fourth attempt.
According to Reuters and the National Jury of Elections (ONPE), the final count from the runoff election held on June 29 showed Fujimori receiving 50.135% of the votes, while leftist candidate Roberto Sanchez of the Together for Peru party garnered 49.865%.
The margin between the two candidates was approximately 49,000 votes, with Fujimori receiving 9,223,396 votes and Sanchez obtaining 9,173,755 votes.
This outcome was confirmed after weeks of reviewing challenged ballots. Sanchez's campaign had previously indicated potential disputes, claiming there were issues with the processing of overseas votes.
Overseas voting was a significant factor in the election, with more than 307,000 Peruvians living abroad casting their ballots, approximately 65% of whom supported Fujimori. While Sanchez performed strongly in rural and indigenous areas, Fujimori led in the capital, Lima, and among overseas voters.
Fujimori is the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori and has positioned herself as his political successor. She reached the runoff in the 2011, 2016, and 2021 elections but was unsuccessful each time.
Peru has experienced political instability in recent years, marked by impeachments and early resignations of presidents. If Fujimori completes the final steps of her election, Peru will see the establishment of a right-wing government. However, the narrow margin and the possibility of opposition challenges suggest that political tensions are likely to persist.
* This article has been translated by AI.
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