Fujimori leads Peru presidential election by slim margin; winner to be announced July 15

Peru's presidential election runoff remains too close to call, with conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori holding a slim lead of just over 1,000 votes against her opponent, Roberto Sanchez, after the initial count. The outcome hinges on the meticulous review of disputed ballots, a process that is expected to extend for several weeks.

Out of approximately 18 million votes cast, Fujimori has secured 9,036,046 votes, representing 50.004%, while Sanchez trails with 9,034,743 votes, or 49.996%. The razor-thin margin underscores the significance of the ongoing review of ballots from over 1,600 polling stations that are yet to be tallied.

The electoral jury will scrutinize ballots where discrepancies or inconsistencies were noted on the tally sheets. This review process involves local electoral assessment committees, which have a limited timeframe to resolve issues. If simple calculation errors are found, the ballots will be included in the final count. More complex cases may require further investigation and public hearings.

Adding another layer of complexity, Sanchez's campaign has requested the annulment of ballots from around 2,400 polling stations, citing alleged irregularities. While Peru's Foreign Ministry stated no issues were found with the transport of overseas ballots, the electoral authorities have three days to rule on Sanchez's appeal. The National Electoral Jury is scheduled to officially announce the winner on July 15, but an early declaration is possible if one candidate's lead widens significantly.