Peru president-elect Fujimori vows 'order and hope' after narrow election victory
Conservative Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, wins Peru's presidency on her fourth attempt, promising to restore order and hope.
Peru's president-elect Keiko Fujimori on Monday vowed to restore "order and hope" after narrowly defeating leftist candidate Roberto Sanchez in the presidential runoff. Fujimori won the June 7 election by fewer than 50,000 votes out of more than 18 million cast, according to final results. "Each time we draw closer to starting on the path of order and hope for all Peruvians," she wrote on X after being proclaimed the winner.
The 51-year-old daughter of late president Alberto Fujimori secured the top office on her fourth attempt. The election was fought on rising crime and chronic political instability, which has seen Peru cycle through eight presidents in a decade. With extortion gangs and contract killings on the rise, Fujimori promised a strong hand, reminiscent of her autocratic father. Alberto Fujimori was praised for crushing Maoist rebels and taming hyperinflation but later jailed for corruption and crimes against humanity.
Sanchez has yet to react to the results. He had warned he would not recognize a government led by Fujimori, alleging irregularities in the overseas vote count. Fujimori will take office on July 28 for a five-year term.
