Peru's Presidential Runoff Too Close To Call

Peru’s Presidential Runoff Remains Too Close to Call PERU Peru Peru’s presidential runoff remained too close to call Tuesday, with leftist candidate Roberto Sánchez holding a razor-thin lead over conservative rival Keiko Fujimori as officials continued counting ballots and awaited votes from Peruvians living abroad. With roughly 95 percent of tally sheets processed, Sánchez had about 50.1 percent of the vote compared with 49.9 percent for Fujimori, a margin of around 30,000 to 40,000 votes depending on the stage of the count. The outcome remains uncertain because most overseas ballots have yet to be counted. More than one million Peruvians were eligible to vote abroad and expatriate voters have historically favored right-wing candidates. Analysts, investors and pollsters said the foreign vote could ultimately decide the election and potentially overturn Sánchez’s narrow lead. One analyst noted that the votes still outstanding are “mostly in Keiko’s favor.” Only a small share of overseas ballots had been counted as of Monday, while thousands of tally sheets from remote regions and foreign polling stations were still being processed. Fujimori, seeking the presidency for a fourth time after losing runoff elections in 2011, 2016 and 2021, urged patience and said “every tally sheet” would be important. She also pledged to respect the final result. The election authority has warned that officially declaring a winner could take weeks because of legal challenges and Peru’s vote-counting procedures. The race has highlighted Peru’s deep political divisions. Sánchez, of the Juntos por el Perú alliance, is an ally of jailed former president Pedro Castillo and has pledged to pardon him if elected. Fujimori is the daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, who was convicted of crimes against humanity and corruption. The uncertainty has already generated political and market reactions. Colombian President Gustavo Petro prematurely celebrated a Sánchez victory, while financial markets appeared to be pricing in a possible Fujimori comeback once overseas votes are counted. The winner will take office on July 28 and inherit a country struggling with insecurity and political instability. Peru has had nine presidents in the past decade.