Keiko Fujimori, candidate for the Fuerza Popular party, maintains a steady lead in Peru’s presidential election as authorities continue to process ballots from Sunday’s general vote. With 80% of the tally completed, according to reports from BioBioChile, Fujimori holds 16.8% of the valid votes, positioning her for a fourth consecutive appearance in a runoff election.
Official data from the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) shows a tight scramble for the second-round spot. Ultraconservative Rafael López Aliaga of Renovación Popular follows with 12.5% to 12.8%, while centrist Jorge Nieto of the Partido del Bueno Gobierno sits at 11.6% to 11.8%. These figures place the two candidates in a technical tie, according to BioBioChile.
Leftist candidate Roberto Sánchez, representing Juntos por el Perú, has seen his standing improve. Cooperativa RSS reports that Sánchez reached 10.05% with 75% of the vote counted, placing him ahead of populist Ricardo Belmont, who holds 10.004%. Sánchez remains hopeful that rural votes will bolster his position to challenge for a place in the June 7 runoff.
The race is currently clouded by conflicting projections. While Ipsos reported that Sánchez was part of a triple- empate technical tie for the second position, Datum polling indicated a clear contest between Fujimori and López Aliaga. Sánchez has pledged to “recorrer todo el Perú, todos los pueblos para convocarlos a la refundación de la patria” and has promised to seek an indulto for the imprisoned former president Pedro Castillo.
Logistical crisis and official fallout
The electoral process faced severe disruptions after material failed to reach several districts in Lima, where one-third of the nation’s voters reside. The delays prevented 52,261 citizens from casting their ballots on Sunday, forcing the electoral jury to extend voting hours into Monday for those affected.
The administrative failure prompted immediate legal consequences. José Samame, director general of the ONPE, resigned his post and was subsequently arrested by police as part of a formal investigation into the logistical collapse. The incident has cast doubt on the integrity of the election, which aims to select leadership for the 2026-2031 term after a decade marked by eight different presidents.
More than 27.3 million Peruvians were eligible to participate in the general elections. As the count progresses, the nation remains in a political limbo, waiting to see which candidate will ultimately face Fujimori in the decisive runoff.
