Peru opens presidential runoff between Keiko Fujimori and Roberto Sanchez

Polls have opened in Peru's presidential runoff, with voters choosing between Keiko Fujimori and Roberto Sanchez in a contest shaped by crime, corruption concerns and public frustration with political instability. The vote is taking place across the South American country after a first round that was marked by logistical problems and a lengthy count. It is the latest step in an election season that has drawn close attention because of the scale of the country's political turnover in recent years.

Sponsored

The runoff pits right-wing candidate and former first lady Keiko Fujimori against leftist congressmember Roberto Sanchez. The first round on 12 April featured 35 candidates, and Fujimori secured a place in the final round with 17 percent of the vote. Sanchez was confirmed as her opponent only weeks later after winning 12 percent, underlining the slow pace of the count and the administrative strain around the election.

The third-place candidate, far-right former mayor Rafael Lopez Aliaga, has alleged fraud, although election monitors have found no evidence to support that claim. The election is being watched closely because Peru has had repeated changes of leadership in recent years, with presidents often removed through resignations or impeachment. The country is now choosing what would be its ninth leader in a decade, a sign of the depth of the political crisis.

Voters have also been confronting broader concerns about disorder, corruption and disillusionment, which have shaped the campaign and the public mood around the runoff. The administration of the vote itself is part of the story, after the first round raised questions about trust in the process. Fujimori has campaigned on a tough-on-crime platform and has vowed to defeat terrorism and impose a 60-day state of emergency.

Sponsored

She is the daughter of former right-wing President Alberto Fujimori and was named first lady by him in the 1990s. Her family's legacy remains divisive, with critics pointing to human rights abuses under her father's rule, including forced sterilisation of Indigenous people and extrajudicial killings by death squads. Sanchez, by contrast, represents the left and has offered a different political direction, making the runoff a clear choice between sharply different visions of leadership.

The vote also carries significance beyond the immediate contest because Peru's political instability has repeatedly affected governance and public confidence. The first round's delays and disputes have already shown how fragile trust in electoral administration can be. With 27 million voters eligible, the outcome will shape not only the next government but also the country's ability to restore confidence in its institutions.

That makes the conduct of the runoff as important as the result itself. What remains unclear is whether the vote will proceed smoothly and whether any further disputes will emerge over the count. The final result will depend on how the runoff is administered and whether losing candidates accept the outcome.

#Peru #Opens #Presidential #Runoff #Between

Sponsored