Peru’s JNE confirms Fujimori and Sanchez for runoff amid election overhaul
The National Jury of Elections has finalised the presidential runoff between Keiko Fujimori and Roberto Sanchez, pledging to rectify the procedural flaws that marred the first round of voting.
Peruvian election authorities have confirmed that right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori and left-wing Congress member Roberto Sanchez will contest the presidential runoff on June 7. The National Jury of Elections (JNE) finalised the results of the first round held on April 12, with Fujimori securing first place with 17 per cent of the vote, followed by Sanchez with 12 per cent. The electoral body acknowledged significant procedural failures during the initial vote, including count delays and logistical errors that extended voting in some areas into the following day.
JNE President Roberto Burneo addressed the shortcomings during a press conference, stating that the organising entity, ONPE, had deployed resources with notable flaws. Burneo confirmed that the jury has incorporated lessons learned from the chaotic first round and is strengthening oversight mechanisms. To ensure a more transparent process for the second round, the JNE announced it would convene a committee comprising both national and international experts to monitor the election closely.
The administrative failures in April have exacerbated widespread mistrust in Peru’s political system, a landscape already characterised by severe instability. The country has seen nine different presidents hold office in the last decade, largely due to frequent impeachment efforts by Congress. While election observers have acknowledged voter frustrations stemming from the logistical issues, they have cautioned that there is currently no evidence to substantiate claims of electoral fraud.
Despite the lack of evidence for fraud, third-place candidate Rafael Lopez Aliaga, who received 11.9 per cent of the vote, has refused to accept the results. The far-right candidate called for the annulment of the first round on social media, alleging that electoral fraud had been consummated. Lopez Aliaga stated he would not accept outcomes he described as products of corruption, adding to the political tension surrounding the upcoming runoff.
Complicating the campaign for Sanchez, Peru’s public prosecutor’s office announced financial crime charges against the left-wing candidate last week. The charges were issued shortly after it became clear that Sanchez would advance to the final round. The legal proceedings against Sanchez, combined with the logistical controversies of the first round, underscore the complex governance challenges facing the nation as it prepares for the decisive vote in June.
