Peruvian authorities confirm Fujimori and Sanchez advance to runoff

"Peru's National Jury of Elections (JNE) confirmed the results of the first round of voting on Sunday, with Fujimori taking first place with 17 percent of the vote. She was followed by Sanchez with 12 percent. The electoral body also acknowledged problems with the first round of voting, which was marred by count delays and logistical issues. It pledged to make fixes before the runoff next month."

"We cannot deny that there were many difficulties and flaws in the logistical deployment by the organising entity, ONPE, JNE President Roberto Burneo said during a press conference. We have incorporated all the lessons learned from the first round and are strengthening oversight, he added. The elections body stated that a committee of national and international experts will be convened to ensure a smoother process during the second round of voting."

"Shortcomings in the first round on April 12 led to voting in some places being extended to the next day. The election-day hiccups underscored widespread discontent and mistrust with the country's political system and sparked allegations of fraud from several candidates. Election observers have acknowledged frustrations but cautioned that there is no evidence of fraud."

"Far-right candidate Rafael Lopez Aliaga, who came in third place with 11.9 percent of the vote, has called for the first round of voting to be annulled. In a social media post on Sunday, he said he would not accept the results. The electoral fraud in Peru has just been consummated, he wrote. We will not accept results that are the product of fraud and corruption."

Peru’s National Jury of Elections confirmed that Keiko Fujimori placed first in the presidential election’s first round with 17% of the vote, followed by Roberto Sanchez with 12%. A runoff is scheduled for June 7. Election authorities acknowledged that the April 12 vote suffered count delays and logistical problems, and some locations extended voting into the next day. The election body pledged to strengthen oversight and convene a committee of national and international experts to improve the second-round process. Several candidates raised fraud allegations amid public mistrust, while election observers said there was no evidence of fraud. Rafael Lopez Aliaga, who received 11.9%, called for annulment and rejected the results.

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