Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, and former Finance Minister Pedro Pablo Kuczynski appeared headed for a June runoff to determine the winner of Peru’s presidential race, partial election results indicated Monday. Keiko Fujimori received 39.5% of the votes cast in Sunday’s election, while Kuczynski received 22.1%, with more than two-thirds of the ballots counted, according to Peru’s electoral commission, known by its Spanish initials ONPE. About 83% of the first-round ballots were counted by late Monday, officials said. Kuczynski’s lead over candidate Veronika Mendoza, a socialist member of Congress who had about 18% of the vote, looked to be enough to ensure him the runoff spot against Fujimori on June 5, analysts said. A winning candidate needed 50% of votes plus one to avoid the second round.
Fujimori’s Fuerza Popular party also scored significant victories in the congressional portion of the election and was on track to win at least 65 of the 130 legislative seats up for grabs.
Although the 40-year-old Fujimori, a two-term member of Congress, would seem to be a prohibitive favorite against Kuczynski, polling firms have said the 77-year-old former minister has a chance of beating her in the runoff because of high anti-Fujimori sentiment in Peru.
The elder Fujimori, who served as president from 1990 to 2000, was convicted in 2009 on corruption and human rights abuse charges and is serving a 25-year prison term. A significant portion of Peruvians fear his daughter might bring back his authoritarian ways and say they wouldn’t vote for her under any circumstance.
Full Article: Peru’s Keiko Fujimori and former finance minister appear headed for a runoff in presidential race – LA Times.