Keiko Fujimori regains narrow lead over Roberto Sánchez in Peru election count

Keiko Fujimori has edged back into the lead in Peru's presidential election runoff against Roberto Sánchez, as official vote counting nears completion. With 98.20% of ballots processed, Fujimori of Fuerza Popular has secured 50.001% of the valid votes, totaling 9,032,189, while Sánchez trails with 49.999%, or 9,031,723 votes. This razor-thin margin of just hundreds of votes places Fujimori, the daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, tantalizingly close to the presidency on her fourth attempt.

The race remains tight due to outstanding votes, primarily from Peruvians abroad and contested ballots. Earlier on Monday, Sánchez had held a lead of up to 42,000 votes, but Fujimori managed to close the gap and reclaim the top spot, reportedly bolstered by strong support from overseas voters.

This election outcome, if Fujimori prevails, would mark the return of Fujimorismo to Peru's government after 26 years. Her father, Alberto Fujimori, governed from 1990 to 2000, leaving office after resigning by fax from Japan amid a corruption scandal and following an autogolpe in 1992. Keiko Fujimori has previously lost in the second round of presidential elections in 2011, 2016, and 2021.

Sánchez, representing the Juntos por el Perú party, is linked to the political sector of former president Pedro Castillo, who is currently imprisoned. The close result continues a trend in recent Peruvian presidential elections, which have consistently been decided by very narrow margins. Pedro Pablo Kuczynski narrowly defeated Fujimori in 2016 by about 40,000 votes, and Pedro Castillo won against her by a similar margin in 2021.