Peru election result close as vote counting continues

The race between right-wing Keiko Fujimori and left-wing Roberto Sánchez has been dominated by concerns over crime and political instability.

Peruvians are choosing between two presidential candidates with starkly different views as they elect their ninth head of state in 10 years amid growing concerns about crime. Keiko Fujimori, a conservative and daughter of a disgraced former president, and Roberto Sánchez, a nationalist congressman, are on the ballot after beating 33 other candidates in the first round in April, but neither earned even 20% of support. Pollsters estimate that roughly 30% of voters remain undecided. Sunday’s results were expected to be tight, and if the earlier vote was any indication, the outcome may not be known for days. Surging crime, particularly extortion, remains the overarching concern. A 2025 national survey carried out by the state’s National Institute of Statistics and Informatics found that 84% of respondents in urban areas feared becoming victims of a crime in the following 12 months. Experts attribute the increasing power of organized crime in Peru to the profits that decades-old criminal groups are earning from illegal gold mining in the Andes and the Amazon.

Peru held a runoff presidential election to choose its ninth leader in 10 years, with the result still undecided hours after polls closed. Conservative Keiko Fujimori led with 52.6% of the vote against nationalist congressman Roberto Sánchez's 47.4%, with 58% of ballots counted. Voter turnout appeared lower in Lima despite mandatory voting laws. Fujimori, linked to her late father's controversial regime, and Sánchez, an ally of jailed ex-president Pedro Castillo, both drew skepticism due to their political ties. Crime, particularly extortion, topped voter concerns, but neither candidate’s proposals significantly swayed public trust. Fujimori proposed tougher policing and prison labor, while Sánchez emphasized police reform and economic development. Over 27 million Peruvians were eligible to vote, including 1.2 million abroad. The winner, to be sworn in on July 28, faces the daunting task of addressing widespread insecurity and political disillusionment.

As of June 8, 2026, Peru’s presidential runoff remains too close to call, with conservative politician Keiko Fujimori and nationalist congressman Roberto Sánchez nearly tied. With 94% of votes counted, Sánchez holds a slight edge at 50.015% compared to Fujimori’s 49.985%, a margin of just 11,000 votes. The official result could take up to 30 days due to a complex vote-counting process involving ballots from abroad and manual tallies.

Peru’s presidential runoff remains too close to call, with conservative Keiko Fujimori and nationalist congressman Roberto Sánchez virtually tied. With 93% of ballots tallied, the figures showed Fujimori received 8.75 million votes, or 50.095%, while Sánchez earned 8.73 million votes, or 49.905%. The winner will be the South American country’s ninth president in 10 years. Fujimori, daughter of a disgraced former president, and Sánchez, an ally of an imprisoned ex-president, were on the runoff’s ballot after beating 33 other candidates in the vote in April, but neither earned even 20% of support. Electoral authorities took more than a month to declare them winners of that contest. Roberto Burneo, the country’s chief electoral authority, asked voters and political organizations to “act with democratic responsibility” as the tallying process continues. He said the outcome will be available within 30 days. In the capital, Lima, voter turnout throughout the day appeared lower than in the previous contest, with practically no lines in many voting centers, despite voting being mandatory. The slow counting pace is due to a law that requires each ballot and each tally sheet, which summarizes the votes from each polling station, to be taken to one of more than 100 offices to be tallied. Additionally, ballots and tally sheets must arrive in Lima from 63 countries to be counted.