Ten days after Peru runoff, Fujimori closes in on presidential victory
Ten days after Peru's 8 June runoff, the final result remains officially undeclared, but data from the national elections office ONPE show Keiko Fujimori roughly one percentage point ahead of left-backed Verónika Mendoza. Tallies cited by El País indicate the remaining ballots from semi-rural districts favour Fujimori. The Mendoza camp has filed challenges in several jurisdictions.
ONPE's latest overnight update put Fujimori at 50.4 percent and Mendoza at 49.6 percent, with the count at 99.2 percent of ballots. Analysts speaking to El País said the remaining tallies came mainly from rural districts in Cajamarca and Huancavelica, where Fujimori's Fuerza Popular party traditionally polls higher.
The Mendoza camp has requested recounts at selected polling stations in Junín and Apurímac. The legal challenges are expected to be resolved next week. The National Jury of Elections JNE is expected to issue the final declaration by 25 June.
Luis Almagro, head of the international observer mission, said in Lima that the count had been "broadly transparent" and urged all sides to respect the judicial process. The Lima stock exchange closed 1.1 percent higher, with markets — which had been pricing in volatility under a left-wing victory — reacting favourably to the Fujimori scenario.
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