After a first round, Peru likely to feature two ultra-right candidates for the Presidency
Keiko Fujimori and Rafael Lopez Aliaga lead the quick count, but balloting extended at some Lima centers after thousands turned away
After a tumultuous first round, the presidential runoffs in Peru are almost certain to be a race between two far-right candidates. In a quick count, Keiko Fujimori leads the race. Fujimori is the daughter of Peru’s infamous leader during the country’s civil war, who committed grave human rights violations and was later jailed for corruption.
She has promised to bring “security” to Peru, which has seen a rise in homicides over the last decade, as well as crack down on informal migration and deport Venezuelans from the country.
Fujimori holds a 4-point lead in the quick count over ultra-right-wing candidate Rafael Lopez Aliaga, who has adopted the nickname “Porky”, and has been described as “the Bolsonaro of Peru.” Although he ran principally on an anti-crime platform, he has also endorsed sexual abstinence and free-market reforms in the country.
Peru’s more formal slow-count is ongoing.
Peruvians headed to the polls Sunday to elect their 9th president in less than 10 years, and a ballot that contained 35 candidates that included a comedian, a media baron, Fujimori, and Aliaga.
Lima suffered election difficulties when some polling stations did not receive ballots until late in the afternoon. Peru’s elections commission has extended polling at those stations until 6 pm tomorrow evening. Election officials said they estimate 63,000 voters were affected.
More than 28 million voters were eligible to vote in the Andean country.
The formal results will be published on Monday evening after the polls in Lima close.
This is Fujimori’s fourth presidential campaign.
Aliaga has alleged fraud and intentional tampering in Lima, where he expected strong support. Aliaga is also currently under investigation for money laundering by the Public Ministry regarding alleged political bribes into legitimate business gains.
Narrowly behind Aliaga, in third place before tomorrow’s additional votes, is center liberal candidate Jorge Nieto. Nieto is a former Cultural Minister. He previously ran for President in 2021.
Depending on the results of the slow-count, Monday’s votes could, in theory, affect the second-place position, and thus determine who faces Fujimori in the runoff.
So far, no other candidate has officially questioned the results.
Peru will head to a second round of presidential elections on June 7th.
The country has grown increasingly polarized, even as Congress has become more loathed by the population, as well as more powerful as the presidency has weakened. The lawmaker’s body currently has a 3% approval rating.
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