(Adnkronos) – Roberto Sanchez, a left-wing presidential candidate in Peru, has called for the annulment of votes from overseas residents in the runoff where he is slightly behind his conservative rival. With almost all votes counted, right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori has obtained 50.11% of the votes, against 49.88% for Sánchez, according to the National Office of Electoral Processes. Fujimori is ahead of Sanchez by just over 40,000 votes.
Before declaring a winner, however, electoral officials must examine disputed tally sheets, relating to approximately 82,000 votes. “We have submitted a request for annulment so that the National Electoral Jury can declare null and void the elections held in the 119 consular offices,” Sanchez stated on X. “The electoral process has been seriously compromised by changes introduced at the request of the executive power (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), particularly regarding the presidential runoff,” he added.
Sanchez denounces administrative irregularities in the management of votes from abroad, which represent approximately 300,000 ballots, by the electoral authority. The overseas vote largely favored Fujimori, who benefited from massive support from voters in the United States and Japan. According to Sanchez, if votes cast abroad were excluded, he would have an advantage of approximately 25,000 votes over Fujimori. The June 7 runoff pitted the daughter of the late former president Alberto Fujimori against Sanchez, the political heir of former president Pedro Castillo. The winner will take office on July 28 for a five-year term.
