Keiko Fujimori leads the official vote count in Peru's presidential election, though a scramble for the second-round position continues as several candidates remain in a statistical dead heat.
With 62.7% of the ballots processed, the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) placed the Fuerza Popular candidate at the top with 16.92% of the vote.
While Fujimori's lead is established, the identity of her opponent for the June 7 runoff remains undecided due to a triple tie in rapid counts.
According to a rapid count by Asociación Civil Transparencia and IPSOS Perú, which reached 95.7% completion, Fujimori holds 1t7.1%. However, the second spot shows a technical tie between Roberto Sánchez (12.4%), Rafael López Aliaga (11.3%), and Jorge Nieto (10.7%).
“There is a technical statistical tie between three candidacies,” said Álvaro Henzler, president of Transparencia. “It is not yet possible to determine which would advance to the second round with the Fujimorista candidate.”
Data from Datum Internacional presents a slightly different picture, placing Fujimori at 16.8% and López Aliaga at 12.9% in second place.
Urpi Torrado, CEO of Datum Internacional, noted that while 52,000 votes remain to be counted, the current trend is unlikely to shift the primary outcome. “The person in fifth or sixth place is not going to move to second place,” Torrado told América TV and Canal N.
ONPE official arrested amid election delays
The counting process follows a day of significant disruptions, including the arrest of ONPE’s Electoral Management Manager, José Samané Blas.
Police authorities from the Directorate Against Corruption (Dircocor) detained Samané Blas as part of an investigation into delays in delivering electoral materials to polling stations.
The Prosecutor's Office is investigating ONPE officials for alleged collusion regarding the procurement of transport services for the ballots.
Following the delays, the National Jury of Elections (JNE) extended voting hours until 6:00 p.m. on Monday to allow citizens in affected areas to cast their ballots.
Fujimori addressed the media following the latest rapid counts, stating she received the results with “deep gratitude, humility, and great responsibility.”
“The enemy is the left, and according to the counts, they would not be in the second stage. That is positive for all Peruvians,” Fujimori said.
