Keiko Fujimori holds slim lead in Peruvian presidential runoff

On Sunday, Peru held the second round of its presidential election between right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori and left-wing candidate Roberto Sanchez. Exit polls conducted by Ipsos and Datum indicate a narrow lead for Fujimori, who is polling between 50.5% and 50.7% against Sanchez's 49.3% to 49.5%. Fujimori, the 51-year-old daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, is running for the fourth consecutive time. Her opponent, 57-year-old former minister Roberto Sanchez, is facing a separate legal challenge regarding alleged financial irregularities in his party, Juntos por el Perú, dating from 2018-2020. A judge recently ordered Sanchez to stand trial, with prosecutors seeking a five-year, four-month prison sentence. However, the trial is not expected to affect the election outcome, and Sanchez would gain legal immunity if elected president. The election occurs amidst public frustration over rising crime and a decade of political instability. Polling stations closed on Sunday at 17:00 local time, with final official results still pending.