Peru Holds Presidential Runoff Amid Political Turmoil; 9th President in 10 Years to Be Elected

(Central News Agency, Lima, 7th, Comprehensive Foreign News) Peru will elect its ninth president in a decade today in a runoff election. The runoff pits conservative Keiko Fujimori against leftist Roberto Sanchez, as both candidates vie to attract voters fed up with political chaos and worsening public security, in a fiercely contested race.

According to AFP, Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of former dictator Alberto Fujimori, is making her fourth bid for the presidency. Psychologist Roberto Sanchez emerged as a late-stage contender to reach the runoff, and current polls show him running neck-and-neck with Fujimori.

27 million voters will cast their ballots to elect a new president for a five-year term.

However, Hugo Vasquez, a 67-year-old handicraft vendor in the capital Lima, told AFP: "The situation is a mess, there's a lot of corruption, and we're going to have to elect the 'lesser evil' again, just like before."

Fujimori, 51, appeals to her father's legacy. She told AFP: "I believe Peruvians want a Fujimori. I am here."

Alberto Fujimori stabilized the economy and defeated Maoist insurgencies, but was also accused of crimes against humanity.

Sanchez, 57, a former minister and current congressman, relies on the rural background of his political mentor, former President Pedro Castillo. Castillo, a former teacher, was imprisoned after a failed coup attempt in 2022.

Fujimori and Sanchez together garnered less than 30% of the vote in the April primary. That round of voting was marred by numerous administrative problems and allegations of fraud, further eroding public confidence in Peru's fragile institutions.

Analyst David Sulmont said: "While anti-Fujimori sentiment has weakened slightly, it remains strong. Sanchez is not well-known, and voters are unfamiliar with him. If the result is very close, the legitimacy of the winner will inevitably be questioned, meaning the situation will become more unstable."

Voting began at 7:00 AM local time (12:00 GMT) and will conclude 10 hours later. (Editor: Yang Zhaoyan)