PERU
Hollow Victory
Peruvian leftist candidate Pedro Castillo widened his lead against his rightwing rival in the country’s presidential vote after previously trailing in an election that has underscored divisions in Peru and worried investors, Reuters reported Tuesday.
The official count showed Castillo secured more than 50 percent of the vote against his opponent Keiko Fujimori, who received 49.7 percent.
Initially, Fujimori was projected to lead but fell behind following the counting of rural votes. She alleges fraud and said she will not concede.
Analysts said the elections highlighted a division between the capital city of Lima and Peru’s rural population. They added that the current uncertainty could lead to tensions or possible unrest.
Castillo’s surge, meanwhile, has spooked investors and mining firms in Peru, the world’s second-largest copper producer: The outsider candidate has vowed to amend the Andean nation’s constitution to strengthen the role of the state and take a larger portion of profits from mining firms.
However, observers noted that whoever wins will inherit a weakened mandate and face a fragmented Congress with no one party holding a majority, potentially stalling any major reforms.
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