Peru faces drawn-out count as presidential race goes down to the wire
AI Summary
Peruvians held a runoff election between conservative Keiko Fujimori and leftist Roberto Sanchez, electing their ninth president in a decade amid severe political instability and rising crime. Exit polls showed an extraordinarily close race, with Fujimori marginally ahead, as voters sought relief from governance crises. The outcome carries implications for Latin America's broader ideological direction.
Peru faced a drawn-out count in its bitterly contested presidential run-off after results showed the race for the ninth head of state in 10 years was too close to call.
Figures released by electoral authorities showed conservative politician Keiko Fujimori with a modest lead over nationalist congressman Roberto Sanchez with 58 per cent of ballots tallied in a contest overshadowed by people’s concerns about surging crime. The outcome, expected to be tight, may not be known for days.
The figures...