Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former dictator Alberto Fujimori, has narrowly won Peru's presidential election with a razor-thin margin of votes, contributing to a broader trend of right-wing leaders emerging in the Americas, leaving only Uruguay, Colombia, and Brazil with center-left governments on the continent. Her victory, decided by a few hundred votes, was significantly bolstered by overseas ballots, while her left-wing opponent, Roberto Sanchez, led the domestic vote count, prompting Sanchez to allege irregularities and demand the annulment of thousands of votes, though Peru's foreign minister and international observers have stated there were no issues with foreign ballots. Fujimori, who has previously lost presidential bids in 2011, 2016, and 2021, has pledged to combat violent crime and illegal migration, while distancing herself from some of her father's authoritarian practices, yet her potential governance is expected to face robust opposition.

Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former dictator Alberto Fujimori, has narrowly won Peru's presidential election with a razor-thin margin of votes, contributing to a broader trend of right-wing leaders emerging in the Americas, leaving only Uruguay, Colombia, and Brazil with center-left governments on the continent. Her victory, decided by a few hundred votes, was significantly bolstered by overseas ballots, while her left-wing opponent, Roberto Sanchez, led the domestic vote count, prompting Sanchez to allege irregularities and demand the annulment of thousands of votes, though Peru's foreign minister and international observers have stated there were no issues with foreign ballots. Fujimori, who has previously lost presidential bids in 2011, 2016, and 2021, has pledged to combat violent crime and illegal migration, while distancing herself from some of her father's authoritarian practices, yet her potential governance is expected to face robust opposition.

Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former dictator Alberto Fujimori, has narrowly won Peru's presidential election with a razor-thin margin of votes, contributing to a broader trend of right-wing leaders emerging in the Americas, leaving only Uruguay, Colombia, and Brazil with center-left governments on the continent. Her victory, decided by a few hundred votes, was significantly bolstered by overseas ballots, while her left-wing opponent, Roberto Sanchez, led the domestic vote count, prompting Sanchez to allege irregularities and demand the annulment of thousands of votes, though Peru's foreign minister and international observers have stated there were no issues with foreign ballots. Fujimori, who has previously lost presidential bids in 2011, 2016, and 2021, has pledged to combat violent crime and illegal migration, while distancing herself from some of her father's authoritarian practices, yet her potential governance is expected to face robust opposition.

Keiko Fujimori is the latest addition to the ongoing trend of right-wing leaders winning in the Americas.

The 51-year-old, who is known for being the daughter of Alberto Fujimori, a former president and a tough dictator, overtook the left's Roberto Sánchez with just a couple of hundred votes in the 20 million total votes cast. The vote margin she won with was less than 50.002 per cent.

With Peru joining the right-wing trend, only Uruguay, Colombia and Brazil have left centre governments on the continent.

The last boost for Fujimori in the race came from overseas ballots, Reuters reported. She won about 600 votes more. The most interesting part is that Sánchez leads the domestic vote count with 50.21 per cent, while Fujimori leads with an overwhelming margin of overseas votes, 63.42 per cent.

The contested ballots are now being reviewed due to the slim margin, and it may take weeks for the results to be confirmed.

The divided election has created a rift between Peruvians at home and abroad.

Sánchez, who initially called for calm and patience during the count, changed his demeanour on Wednesday, calling on international observers to discuss the “strange, unusual and questionable developments."

"Our people are vigilant, the vote and democracy must be respected," Sanchez said on X when he announced the meetings had taken place.

His team is now suing to annul votes from 1,751 polling stations, many of them located in the Lima area and 657 polling stations in the US for irregularities. His party said that “there was negligence in the transport of the electoral materials.”

His party claimed that an analysis revealed “suspicious similarities in the results of hundreds of tally sheets”, stating that they had “detected 584 patterns of exact repetition involving 1,751 polling stations nationwide,” La Republica reported.

In a press conference on Thursday afternoon, Peru's minister of foreign affairs, Carlos Pareja, said that there were no irregularities with foreign ballots, and international observers said Sunday's race had been carried out without major issues.

Sánchez has not conceded the race.

Experts say that Fujimori may face a difficult time governing, as they might have a very aggressive opposition.

Who is Keiko Fujimori?

Keiko Fujimori debuted in politics when she was 19 as the first lady to her father, former president Alberto, who is known as a dictator. She held the role until November 2000, when her father resigned and fled to Japan.

Alberto Fujimori was eventually imprisoned for crimes against humanity and for ordering the Te Grupo Colina death squad to commit massacres.

He was later sentenced to 25 years in prison. He had governed Peru from 1990 to 2000.

Keiko Fujimori contested the presidential elections in 2011, 2016 and 2021, being narrowly defeated each time in the second round of voting.

She has promised a crackdown on violent crime, to build maximum security prisons and expel illegal migrants, addressing some of the country’s top concerns as it faces an increase in extortion, illegal gold mining and cocaine trafficking.

Fujimori has rejected many of her father's authoritarian tendencies while keeping some of his hardened policies. Her father dissolved Congress, arrested political opponents and committed fraudulent acts to stay in power.

She has, however said that she won't stay in office beyond Peru’s one-term limit.

TAGS