Peru election: Gap between Sánchez and Fujimori narrows to 20,000 votes with 97% counted

Peru's presidential election remains on a knife's edge as the vote count nears completion, with the distance between leftist candidate Roberto Sánchez and right-wing contender Keiko Fujimori shrinking to just 20,000 votes. The latest figures from the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) show Sánchez of Juntos por el Perú holding 50.05% of the vote, while Fujimori of Fuerza Popular has secured 49.95%.

This razor-thin margin of 0.11 percentage points means both parties are maintaining intense scrutiny over the final stages of the tabulation. The outcome hinges on votes cast abroad and a number of contested ballots that have been sent to special electoral juries for review. Currently, 1,077 ballots are pending, with many from overseas voters expected to arrive by Wednesday evening.

Further complicating the count, 1,593 ballots have been sent to electoral juries. Of these, only 63.5% of overseas ballots have been processed, with 836 still pending and 92 flagged for review. The electoral process is also dealing with observed ballots, with 62% of those received by the electoral juries still under deliberation. A total of 55 ballots have been sent for recount, but only four have scheduled public hearings, indicating this stage could be lengthy.

Sánchez's party has expressed confidence, citing projections from private pollsters that showed their candidate winning by a narrow margin. They have announced plans to "defend the popular vote." Fujimori, meanwhile, stated she has "great hope" in the overseas votes and the contested ballots, urging prudence as the final tally unfolds.