Keiko Fujimori, a right-wing presidential candidate in Peru, has established a significant lead as the vote count for the runoff election nears completion. With 99.86% of the votes counted, Fujimori has secured 50.12% of the vote. This gives her an edge of over 43,000 votes against her leftist opponent, Roberto Sanchez, based on the latest figures from the National Office of Electoral Processes.

At a press conference in Lima, Fujimori addressed the media on June 19, 2026. The electoral process, however, is not yet complete. Officials must still process 131 remaining tally sheets, accounting for approximately 39,000 votes. These votes are not enough for Sanchez to overcome Fujimori’s lead.

The electoral body, according to Reuters, will announce the official winner by mid-July. A victory for Fujimori would signify a shift to the right in Latin American politics. In Colombia, a similar trend occurred as populist Abelardo de la Espriella narrowly won a controversial runoff.

Concerns about crime have driven voters towards hardline candidates. Meanwhile, Sanchez has declared he won’t accept a Fujimori-led government, citing a “serious violation of the electoral process.” He alleges vote mishandling from overseas ballots, around 300,000 in total, by the electoral authority. These votes, primarily from the U.S. and Japan, strongly favored Fujimori.

Despite these accusations, Fujimori’s party plans to await the final count before claiming victory. The winner is set to assume office on July 28 for a five-year term. The June 7 runoff featured Fujimori, daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, against Sanchez, who follows in the footsteps of former president Pedro Castillo.

Many Peruvians hoped the election would end years of political instability that saw numerous presidents jailed, deposed, or impeached. Yet, the close results indicate a continued divide in the nation, split between the crowded coastal areas and the rural, Indigenous south.