Peruvians voted on Sunday to choose a new president and members of Congress amid rising violent crime and a series of corruption scandals. With the electorate deeply dissatisfied, no candidate emerged as a clear favorite.
Keiko Fujimori, a conservative former congresswoman and daughter of ex-president Alberto Fujimori, held a narrow lead but fell short of the majority needed to win outright, making a June runoff likely. She appears poised to face fellow conservative Rafael López Aliaga in the second round.
The ballot featured 35 presidential contenders, a sign of widespread frustration after nine heads of state over the past decade. Fujimori, who has run for president several times, has promised a tougher approach to crime while defending laws that critics say weaken prosecutors’ ability to pursue corruption.
López Aliaga, a conservative businessman and political figure, has proposed measures such as building prisons in the Amazon, allowing judges to hide their identities to shield them from criminal gangs, and expelling people living in the country without legal status. Popular comedian Carlos Álvarez is also in the race on a hardline anti-crime platform.
The election unfolded against a backdrop of entrenched organized crime and political instability, factors that have dominated public concern and shaped campaign rhetoric.