✓ verbatim from the press
Right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori was on track to win Peru's presidency on Thursday (18), with 50.11% of valid votes against 49.89% for left-wing rival Roberto Sánchez, with only 0.6% of the count remaining — about 140,000 contested votes, mostly from Lima and abroad, regions where Fujimori has historically performed more strongly. The margin was 39,115 votes. "These are areas where Keiko Fujimori should have an advantage," Gonzalo Márquez, director of data consultancy Caleidos, told Correio do Povo. "Therefore, there is no possibility, let's say, that the result will change." ✓
Press quotes (3)
"A candidata de direita Keiko Fujimori estava, nesta quinta-feira (18), a caminho de conquistar a Presidência do Peru por uma margem estreita, mas crescente, com apenas 0,6% dos votos ainda a serem apurados"
"De acordo com a mais recente apuração da autoridade eleitoral, a filha do falecido ex-presidente Alberto Fujimori tinha 50,11% dos votos válidos, contra 49,89% de Sánchez, com 99,38% dos votos apurados."
"Essas são áreas em que Keiko Fujimori deve ter uma vantagem", disse Gonzalo Márquez, diretor da consultoria de dados Caleidos. "Portanto, não há possibilidade, digamos, de que o resultado mude"."
While the review of contested votes continued, Sánchez's party alleged irregularities by the electoral authority, filed legal challenges seeking to annul votes in favor of Fujimori, and called for protests in Lima on Friday. Electoral observation missions from the Organization of American States and the European Union separately stated that voting proceeded normally and urged the candidates and the country to await the official result. ✓
Press quotes (2)
"Enquanto a lenta revisão e recontagem dos votos contestados continuavam, o partido de Sánchez entrou com recursos judiciais buscando anular votos a favor de Fujimori e convocou protestos em Lima na sexta-feira."
"Missões de observação eleitoral da Organização dos Estados Americanos e da União Europeia afirmaram separadamente que a votação transcorreu normalmente e instaram os candidatos e o país a aguardarem o resultado oficial."
Fujimori, daughter of the late former President Alberto Fujimori, could become the first woman directly elected to Peru's presidency. This is her fourth attempt to reach office. In 2021, she was defeated by left-wing candidate Pedro Castillo by just 44,200 votes — after contesting the result with fraud allegations that the JNE (Jury Nacional de Elecciones, Peru's Supreme Electoral Court) rejected virtually all of over several weeks, before certifying Castillo as president-elect on July 19, 2021, according to analysis by WOLA (Washington Office on Latin America). ✓
Press quotes (3)
"Se confirmar a liderança, Keiko Fujimori poderá se tornar a primeira mulher eleita diretamente presidente do Peru."
"Fujimori, que pode se tornar a primeira mulher eleita diretamente para a Presidência do Peru, já perdeu três segundos turnos anteriores. No mais recente, em 2021, ela foi derrotada pelo candidato de esquerda Pedro Castillo por apenas 44.200 votos."
"Over the course of several weeks, the JNE reviewed each fraud claim and rejected virtually all of them, debunking Fujimori's narrative of fraud and clearing the way for the proclamation of Pedro Castillo as president-elect."
With 99.38% of votes counted, Keiko Fujimori held 50.11% of valid votes against 49.89% for Roberto Sánchez, a difference of 39,115 votes.
OAS and European Union observation missions stated that voting proceeded normally and called on candidates to await the official result.
Covered by only some sources, or where the accounts diverge.
Covered by only some sources (2)
Gonzalo Márquez, director of data consultancy Caleidos, stated there is no possibility of the result changing because pending votes come mostly from areas where Fujimori has an advantage.
This is Keiko Fujimori's fourth attempt to reach the presidency; in 2021, she lost to Pedro Castillo by 44,200 votes.
-
What is the exact number of contested votes still under review and what is the outcome of the review?
Why it's still unknown: Coverage cites "about 140,000 votes" pending review by Peru's electoral authority on Thursday morning, but does not report the final count or when the review will be completed.
-
What is the specific factual basis of the irregularity allegations presented by Roberto Sánchez's party?
Why it's still unknown: Both articles report that Sánchez's party alleged irregularities and called protests, but neither details what irregularities were alleged or what evidence was presented in the legal challenges.
-
When is the JNE (Jury Nacional de Elecciones) expected to proclaim the official result of this election?
Why it's still unknown: None of the sources report the legal or estimated deadline for official proclamation of the result, only that international observers urged candidates and the population to await the official result.