Peruvian authorities confirm Fujimori and Sanchez advance to runoff

Peruvian election authorities have confirmed that Keiko Fujimori and Roberto Sanchez will advance to a presidential runoff election on June 7. Fujimori secured first place with 17 percent of the vote in the initial round, followed by Sanchez with 12 percent. The first round was significantly impacted by logistical errors and delays, leading to accusations of fraud from some candidates, including Rafael Lopez Aliaga, who came in third. The National Jury of Elections acknowledged the difficulties and pledged to implement improvements for the runoff, including convening a committee of national and international experts to ensure a smoother process. Despite widespread discontent and mistrust, election observers have not found evidence of fraud.

Peru will hold a presidential run-off in June between leftist candidate Roberto Sanchez and Keiko Fujimori. Official results, with 100% of votes tallied, show Sanchez narrowly secured second place in the first round. The month-long vote count was marked by allegations of fraud, particularly from right-wing candidate Rafael Lopez Aliaga, who trailed Sanchez closely. Fujimori, daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, is seeking the presidency for the fourth time. Sanchez, a congressman backed by jailed former President Pedro Castillo, garnered 12.03% of the vote, just ahead of Lopez Aliaga's 11.90%. The prolonged count led to the resignation of the country's top electoral official, though EU observers found no concrete evidence of fraud.