Peru to announce presidential election results in mid-May

Peru’s Presidential Election Result Delayed Due to Challenged Ballots

The electoral authority in Peru has announced that the country’s presidential election result will not be finalized until mid-May, as more than 15,000 challenged ballots are still being reviewed. According to officials, right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori currently leads with 17 percent of the vote, followed closely by left-wing candidate Roberto Sanchez on 12 percent and ultra-conservative Rafael Lopez Aliaga on 11.9 percent.

The National Jury of Elections (JNE) has reported that about 30 percent of the challenged ballots concern the presidential race, while the rest relate to legislative elections. The delay in announcing the final result is attributed to this review process.

Lopez Aliaga, a former mayor of Lima and leader of the Popular Renewal Party, has been vocal in his criticism of the delay, alleging fraud without providing evidence. He has urged his supporters to protest on Sunday. Sanchez has also expressed concerns about the election process, stating that “serious organizational issues must be investigated and there must be appropriate sanctions.”

The European Union’s election observer mission has stated that the vote met democratic standards. The electoral authority has extended polling hours in parts of Lima due to delays in delivering election materials.

A total of 35 candidates ran for president in Peru, a country with a history of political instability. Four out of eight presidents have been impeached by Congress since 2011. Prosecutors recently raided the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) warehouse, and four officials have been reported to the JNE over alleged offenses linked to voting rights.

Source: Al Jazeera