Peruvian presidential candidate Roberto Sanchez has denounced the country's runoff election as 'fraudulent,' rejecting results that show his rival Keiko Fujimori marginally ahead. With over 99.7% of votes counted, Fujimori leads with 50.11% support against Sanchez's 49.89%, a difference of roughly 40,687 ballots.

At a press conference on Tuesday, Sanchez called for protests and said he would not recognize a Fujimori presidency. He accused authorities of manipulating votes cast abroad to favor the right-wing candidate. Sanchez specifically criticized a decision by election authorities to drop a requirement for scanning tally sheets at overseas polling stations, claiming it compromised the process.

Sanchez has asked the National Jury of Elections to nullify results from 119 consular offices, though he provided no evidence of fraud. Fujimori dismissed the allegations as a 'desperate political act.' Fraud claims are common in Peru's turbulent politics; Fujimori herself made similar accusations after losing the 2021 runoff to Pedro Castillo.

Sanchez, a congressman and former minister under Castillo, faces scrutiny over his ties to the imprisoned ex-president. Fujimori, daughter of authoritarian leader Alberto Fujimori, campaigns on a hardline platform. The next president is set to be inaugurated on July 28, but the ceremony is likely to be overshadowed by controversy.

Source: www.aljazeera.com