Keiko Fujimori Wins Peru Presidency Amid Fraud Allegations

Conservative politician Keiko Fujimori won the June 7 presidential runoff election, becoming the first woman elected president of Peru. The National Office of Electoral Processes finalized the count on June 29, and the National Jury of Elections officially proclaimed her the winner on July 3. Fujimori secured 50.135% of the vote (9,223,000 votes), defeating leftist candidate Roberto Sanchez, who received 49.865% (9,173,000 votes), a margin of 49,641 ballots.

Roberto Sanchez challenged the results, alleging a "serious violation of the electoral process" regarding the processing of overseas ballots. He claimed consulates failed to use a mandated scanning app, though the Ministry of Foreign Affairs denied fraud, stating direct shipments to Lima were authorized due to technical issues. Despite Sanchez's appeals, the electoral court rejected his requests as inadmissible. Sanchez subsequently announced a "resistance coalition" and escalated his complaint to the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights.

Fujimori campaigned on a "Peru con Orden" platform, pledging to combat organized crime through militarized borders, AI surveillance, and the construction of four mega-prisons. Her victory is part of a broader regional rightward shift involving leaders in Colombia, Argentina, and Chile, often aligned with the Trump administration. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended congratulations to the president-elect.

Fujimori has since established the Office of the President-Elect to conduct technical assessments of government operations before her inauguration on July 28, where she will succeed interim President Jose Maria Balcazar.