Keiko Fujimori Advances Near Victory in Peru After Protracted Vote Count

Daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori says country is closer to ‘order and hope’ after prolonged vote count.

Published On 30 Jun 202630 Jun 2026

Right‑wing candidate Keiko Fujimori is now ahead in Peru’s presidential race as electoral officials concluded their tally after a contentious run‑off that her left‑leaning rival has refused to recognise.

Fujimori said on Monday that she would continue to await an official announcement from Peru’s National Jury of Elections (JNE) following the ONPE’s review of contested ballots.

“We are getting closer and closer to embarking on a path of order and hope for all Peruvians,” she posted on social media.

Fujimori, the daughter of the late former president Alberto Fujimori—who was imprisoned for human rights abuses—has pledged to “unite the country” after the final tally showed her beating leftist rival Roberto Sánchez by 50.13% to 49.86%, with 100% of votes counted.

The JNE is scheduled to declare a winner on July 3, after a drawn‑out vote count that has stretched for weeks.

However, the outcome of the June 7 run‑off is unlikely to end Peru’s decade‑long political instability, during which nine presidents have taken office and subsequently been removed or voted out within ten years.

Sánchez has declined to accept the results, citing alleged irregularities and fraud. He has not produced evidence for these claims but has called for protests to “defend the vote” and announced a legal challenge to the official proclamation.

Such allegations have become common in Peru, where declining voter confidence in elections and government institutions has heightened political chaos.

Many voters expressed frustration after the first round of voting in April, when logistical issues delayed polling in parts of the capital, Lima.

Election monitors warned that there was no evidence of widespread fraud, yet acknowledged the legitimate frustrations of voters.

Al Jazeera’s Mariana Sánchez, reporting from Lima, said Fujimori reacted to the result by expressing happiness that the vote count had finished and indicated she would wait with “humility and prudence” until the official declaration of her victory.

“Keiko Fujimori is aware that she has won by only 49,000 votes. She is not very popular in the country and has lost three election bids,” Sánchez said.

Members of Fujimori’s party have expressed hope that her opponent, Roberto Sánchez, will eventually recognise the results, the spokesperson added.

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