Peru holds presidential runoff election amid legal challenges

Peru is holding a presidential runoff election between right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori and left-wing candidate Roberto Sanchez. The election takes place against a backdrop of public dissatisfaction and high crime rates. Keiko Fujimori, 51, is running for the fourth time and is the daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori. Her opponent, 57-year-old Roberto Sanchez, receives strong support from Andean provinces but recently faced a major legal hurdle. On Friday, judge Adolfo Farfan ruled that Sanchez must stand trial for alleged financial irregularities related to campaign funding for his party, Juntos por el Peru, between 2018 and 2020. Prosecutors are seeking a prison sentence of five years and four months, though the defense intends to appeal. The legal proceedings are not expected to disrupt the election process, and if elected, Sanchez would be protected by constitutional immunity. Polls indicate a very tight race with both candidates having secured relatively low support in the first round.