Peru election result close as vote counting continues

3 days agoShareSaveAdd as preferred on Google Ione WellsSouth America correspondent, Lima, Peru EPA/Reuters Peru's presidential election is stuck in a statistical tie, echoing previous vote counts that have dragged on for days or even weeks. About 94.9% of votes have been tallied in the latest official count, which has put the left-wing candidate Roberto Sánchez on a marginal lead of 50.10%, compared with the right-wing Keiko Fujimori on 49.90%. Fujimori led early results and exit polls, but Sánchez has been gaining ground since Sunday night as ballots from rural regions come in. Fujimori is a mainstay of Peruvian politics, while Sánchez has promised broad economic reforms. Concerns over crime and political instability have dominated the race. The vote tallying is into its second day, but re-counts will likely be needed to confirm the winner, a process that could take weeks. Peru's ONPE electoral authority said a full count was expected to be completed by July. Early numbers from pollster Ipsos showed Fujimori dominating the capital Lima, carrying the urban vote and the coast, while Sánchez swept the rural vote and the mountainous Andes regions. Sánchez is expected to continue to gain ground as ballots from rural areas are tallied. International polling stations, that are expected to favour Fujimori, have yet to be counted. Sánchez said he was "confident and optimistic, but we'll wait for 100% of the vote". Fujimori urged patience as she watched her early lead dwindle. "We're going to wait until the last [vote] and that's what I hope all Peruvians do," she said. EPA Keiko Fujimori's supporters seen on the streets of Lima on Sunday night. The right-wing candidate is one of the most well-known figures in Peruvian politics Sánchez has reiterated he would seek a "presidential pardon" that would free former left-wing president Pedro Castillo. In 2021, Castillo also ran against Fujimori and finished with a similarly close result, which led to the declaration dragging on for weeks. Castillo was eventually jailed after trying to illegally disband Congress and govern by decree, and Sánchez served as a minister in his government. Fujimori is one of the most well-known figures in Peruvian politics, and this is her fourth time running for office. Her late father, Alberto Fujimori, was formerly the president of Peru and was eventually jailed for crimes against humanity. But his supporters credited him with a tough crackdown on violent insurgencies and implementation of social programmes to help some of the country's poorest.