Peruvians go to the polls on Sunday to elect a new president in a runoff that pits the right-wing veteran Keiko Fujimori against the leftist Roberto Sanchez, capping a fractured campaign in a country exhausted by years of political instability. The final Ipsos poll, released June 3, showed the race a statistical dead heat, with Sanchez at 43.8% and Fujimori at 43.2% and roughly 13% of voters undecided or planning to cast a blank ballot.
Fujimori, the daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori and leader of the conservative Fuerza Popular party, is making her fourth bid for the presidency after narrow defeats in 2011, 2016 and 2021. Sanchez, who leads Juntos por el Peru and served as a minister in the short-lived government of Pedro Castillo, has built his campaign on promises to address inequality and the cost of living.
The two emerged from a crowded first round on April 12 in which Fujimori led with about 17% of the vote, or roughly 2.88 million ballots, ahead of Sanchez on about 12%, or some 2.02 million. The fragmented result reflected deep disillusionment with the political class after a stretch of short-lived governments and impeachments.
Peru has cycled through a series of presidents in recent years amid corruption scandals, congressional showdowns and street protests, leaving many voters skeptical that any leader can deliver stability. Both candidates have sought to present themselves as the steadier choice while warning of the dangers the other would pose.
The contest carries high economic stakes for one of the world's largest copper producers, where mining revenue underpins public finances and major projects such as the Chinese-built Chancay port are reshaping trade ties. Investors are watching closely for signals on how the next government will treat the resource sector and foreign capital.
Polls open Sunday morning across the country, with results expected later in the day. Given the razor-thin margin in pre-election surveys, the outcome may not be clear until late in the count, and either candidate would take office facing a divided electorate and a fractious congress.