Peru’s recent presidential election has been marred by significant delays, logistical errors, and political unrest. Despite holding the vote on Sunday with extensions granted to facilitate ballot distribution, the counting process has been slow, raising doubts and impacting investor confidence. The race remains competitive, with leftist Roberto Sanchez and ultraconservative Rafael Lopez Aliaga battling for second place, while conservative frontrunner Keiko Fujimori leads the field, progressing towards a runoff scheduled for June 7.
The delays have intensified scrutiny of Peru’s National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) and its head, Piero Corvetto, amid accusations of irregularities and logistical failures. Approximately 5% of ballots require review due to errors, delaying final results by up to two weeks. Business leaders and lawmakers demand Corvetto’s resignation, citing severe organizational lapses, while Corvetto defends the integrity of the process. An ongoing criminal investigation involves allegations against Corvetto, and materials from polling stations were recently found discarded, prompting further concerns. Despite these issues, EU observers found no evidence of fraud, though the electoral process remains contentious.