Peru awaits tight presidential election winner as votes are counted

Peru is on edge as it awaits the final announcement of a presidential election winner. The race between leftist Roberto Sánchez and rightist Keiko Fujimori is incredibly close, with Sánchez holding a slim lead of less than 1% after nearly 94% of votes were tallied.

The narrow margin, amounting to fewer than 6,000 votes, means the final result remains uncertain. Officials must still review approximately 450,000 votes contained in contested ballots, a process that could take days.

This runoff pits Fujimori, daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, against Sánchez, a political heir of former President Pedro Castillo, who is currently imprisoned. It marks Fujimori's fourth presidential bid, while Sánchez is a first-time candidate.

Many Peruvian voters expressed a desire for the incoming government to tackle the country's persistent crime and political turmoil, which has seen eight presidents since 2016. Fujimori appealed to her father's legacy, credited with economic stabilization and counter-insurgency but also marred by human rights abuse accusations. Sánchez, a congressman and former minister under Castillo, has aligned himself with the former president, even visiting him in prison.