100% of votes counted in Peru, 1,550 challenges await resolution

Peru's presidential election remains in a technical tie as the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) completes the counting of 100% of the ballots. The close race between right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori and leftist Roberto Sánchez will now be decided by the review of approximately 1,550 disputed ballots. With 98.32% of votes tallied, Fujimori leads by a narrow margin of 4,310 votes, securing 50.012% of the vote compared to Sánchez's 49.988%. Fujimori, daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, garnered significant support in Lima, coastal areas, and abroad. Sánchez, representing former president Pedro Castillo, found strong backing in the country's central and southern regions. The ONPE has processed the final nine pending ballots from the Amazonian region of Loreto. The electoral juries will now focus on the impugned, observed, or materially erroneous ballots, a process that may involve vote-by-vote recounts and could take several more days to complete. Sánchez has called for a joint review of the entire electoral process with Fujimori, citing potential irregularities and a lack of transparency in certain areas. He suggested that Fujimori's party aims to annul votes from the south, while his own party has identified possible issues in Lima and overseas voting. Sánchez believes a joint action would instill stability, certainty, and total confidence in the presidential election outcome. However, Luis Galarreta, vice presidential candidate for Fujimorismo, rejected the proposal, emphasizing adherence to the legal framework. Galarreta stated that vote recounts are not arbitrary and must follow established procedures and respect electoral institutions.

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We will jointly request electoral authorities for an exhaustive review of this entire process, especially in those places where there is a presumed indication that transparency has not occurred as it should.