Peru's electoral commission has declared right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori the winner of the presidential election after weeks of reviewing ballots, finalizing the vote count on Monday.

The country's electoral authority finished tallying 100% of the votes 22 days after the June 7 election. Final results show conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori leading with 50.135% (9,223,396 votes) over leftist candidate Roberto Sanchez's 49.865% (9,173,755 votes).

The runoff between Fujimori and Sanchez was one of the closest elections in Latin America in decades. Crime and political instability dominated the race to elect Peru's ninth leader in ten years.

This was Fujimori's fourth bid for the presidency. Her victory marks the return of her family name to power more than two decades after her father, former President Alberto Fujimori, was ousted. He led Peru through the turbulent 1990s, crushing the Maoist Shining Path rebels and taming hyperinflation, but was later disgraced, exiled, and jailed for corruption and crimes against humanity.

On July 28, Keiko Fujimori will replace interim President Jose Maria Balcazar for a five-year term. Earlier, Sanchez said he would not recognize a Fujimori-led government, citing a 'serious violation of the electoral process.'

Source: www.dw.com