Keiko Fujimori declared winner of Peru's presidential election after narrow victory

After three previous attempts, Keiko Fujimori has finally won Peru's presidential election, securing victory in her fourth bid for the nation's highest office. The electoral authority officially declared the right-wing politician the winner approximately three weeks after the runoff election, confirming an exceptionally close race.

The final tally revealed a razor-thin margin, with just 49,641 votes separating Fujimori from her left-wing rival, Roberto Sánchez. Fujimori secured 50.13 percent of the vote compared to Sánchez's 49.86 percent, according to the electoral authority's announcement in Lima.

"With each day, we are closer to the beginning of a path of order and hope for all Peruvians," Fujimori wrote on the social media platform X following the announcement. She stated she would await the National Electoral Jury's (JNE) official confirmation of the final results with "great humility, prudence, and responsibility."

The 51-year-old politician is the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, who governed Peru with an iron fist from 1990 to 2000. The election campaign was dominated by concerns over rising crime and the chronic political instability that has led to eight different presidents in the past decade. Fujimori had pledged a tough crackdown on crime and irregular migration if elected.

Her rival, Sánchez, who was running for president for the first time, had not yet commented on the result. He had previously accused authorities of irregularities in the counting of overseas votes and stated he would not recognize a government led by Fujimori.

Fujimori is set to begin her five-year term on July 28. She became Peru's First Lady at age 19 after her mother publicly distanced herself from her father. She later studied business administration in the United States. Her father was celebrated by supporters for defeating leftist rebels and stabilizing the economy, but he was later convicted of human rights abuses and corruption, serving 16 years in prison before his death in 2024. Many Peruvians harbor difficult memories of his rule, leading some to refuse to vote for anyone bearing the Fujimori name.

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With each day, we are closer to the beginning of a path of order and hope for all Peruvians.