Maximum equality and a lot of patience. Peru woke up this Monday still without knowing who its next president will be. Although the vote in the second round of the presidential election has already been held and there are statistical projections about the result, the extreme equality between Roberto Sánchez and Keiko Fujimori keeps the outcome of one of the tightest elections in Peru in history open.
The quick count prepared by Ipsos places Sánchez with 50.3% of the votes compared to Fujimori's 49.7%. However, the difference is within the margin of error and does not allow a winner to be declared.
Meanwhile, the official scrutiny by the ONPE continues to advance and for a good part of the night it maintained a provisional lead for Fujimori. The apparent contradiction between the two figures has an explanation related to the way electoral records reach the counting system.
Why the results change as the records advance
The first data from the scrutiny usually comes from Lima and other large urban areas. In these areas, Keiko Fujimori has a particularly solid electoral base, which explains why she initially appeared ahead in the official count.
However, the process is slower in rural regions, in the Andes, and in certain areas far from the main urban centers. Precisely these territories are among Roberto Sánchez's main electoral strongholds. As these records are incorporated into the scrutiny, the differences tend to narrow.
For this reason, electoral authorities and analysts insist that provisional results should be interpreted with caution while vote processing continues.
A process that can take weeks
Another reason why Peru still does not have an elected president is the functioning of its electoral system. The ONPE is responsible for processing and counting the records, but subsequently, observations, claims, and challenges can be filed, which must be resolved by the National Elections Jury (JNE).
Recent experience shows that these procedures can drag on for weeks. In fact, the definitive results of the first round held in April took nearly a month to be completely finalized.
Various Peruvian media and international sources indicate that the official proclamation of the winner could be delayed until July if there are appeals or controversies regarding certain ballots. The JNE itself has warned that the final results could be known during that month.
What Peru is playing for in these elections
The election pits two very different political projects against each other. Fujimori, leader of Fuerza Popular, has focused a good part of her campaign on the fight against insecurity and on measures aimed at attracting investment and strengthening economic activity. Sánchez, candidate of Juntos por el Perú and former minister during the Government of Pedro Castillo, proposes institutional reforms and a greater role for the State in certain strategic sectors.
The result is especially relevant for a country that has had eight presidents in just one decade and that continues to be immersed in a deep political and institutional crisis.
The key date: July 28
Despite the current uncertainty, there is a date marked on the Peruvian political calendar. The new president of Peru must take office on July 28, the day on which the new presidential term officially begins.
Until then, the country will continue to await every update of the vote count in the Peruvian elections. The minimal difference between the two candidates and the possibility of appeals regarding certain ballots suggest that the electoral battle will continue for several days, and even weeks, before the country officially knows who will govern the country for the next five years.