As Peru faces mounting political tension ahead of its upcoming presidential election runoff, the electoral process is under intense scrutiny following delays and allegations of irregularity in the vote count. Leading the charge is conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori, who currently holds a significant lead in the race. However, concerns over the performance and transparency of the electoral authority have prompted calls for accountability, highlighting the ongoing struggle for democratic integrity in the nation.
Calls for the removal of Peru’s electoral authority chief intensified over the weekend amid growing concerns about delays and alleged irregularities in the presidential vote count. As the nation gears up for a pivotal runoff election on June 7, the lack of a clear challenger to conservative frontrunner Keiko Fujimori has added to an atmosphere of uncertainty.
The general election took place on Sunday, with challenges in ballot distribution prompting an extension of the voting period. Despite these issues, no immediate challenger emerged to contest Fujimori’s lead. Currently, according to the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE), the leftist Roberto Sanchez and ultraconservative former Lima Mayor Rafael Lopez Aliaga are in a tight battle for second place, separated by only about 13,000 votes as of Friday. With 93.3 percent of the ballots counted, Sanchez garnered 12.0 percent of the vote while Lopez Aliaga came in close behind with 11.9 percent. Fujimori maintained her first-place position with 17 percent of the tally, putting her in a strong position for the runoff election.
However, the vote counting process has been stymied by complications affecting roughly five percent of ballots, flagged for review due to missing information or discrepancies in polling records. ONPE officials noted that these problematic ballots will be examined by a special electoral jury before being finalized in the overall vote count.
As frustrations grew, business leaders and lawmakers from various political backgrounds urged ONPE chief Piero Corvetto to resign, insisting that a new overseer should manage the second round of voting. Jorge Zapata, head of the business chamber CONFIEP, stated that such serious errors have lengthy consequences for the electoral process. Earlier in the week, Corvetto acknowledged logistical delays that necessitated an extra day for voting, particularly affecting Lima, which sparked fraud allegations from Lopez Aliaga, who has called for the counting process to be halted. Corvetto has firmly denied any incidents of irregularity.
Adding to the tumult, Peru’s top electoral court, the National Jury of Elections, lodged a criminal complaint against Corvetto, citing violations of voting rights among other offenses. Corvetto’s representatives did not respond to requests for comment on the matter from ZezapTV. An investigation is also underway regarding the discovery of electoral materials from four polling stations abandoned on a public road in Lima, though ONPE confirmed that those specific votes had already been recorded. European Union election observers noted this week that they found no evidence to support claims of fraud.
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