Keiko Fujimori, representing Fuerza Popular, leads the presidential election count in Peru with 16.88% of valid votes, according to official data from the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE).
With 74% of the ballots scrutinized, the right-wing candidate maintains a significant lead over her competitors. If current trends hold, Fujimori will face a runoff election on June 7.
Ultra-right candidate Rafael López Aliaga of Renovación Popular follows in second place with 12.84% of the vote. Behind him, centrist Jorge Nieto of the Partido del Buen Gobierno sits at 11.91%.
The battle for the second spot in the runoff remains undecided. According to CNN Chile, López Aliaga and Nieto are fighting "voto a voto" (vote by vote) as the tally progresses.
Other notable candidates include populist Ricardo Belmont of the Obras party with 9.99% and leftist Roberto Sánchez of Juntos por el Perú with 9.94%.
This marks the first time Sánchez has appeared among the top five candidates in official counts. This shift follows earlier rapid counts by Ipsos and Datum, which had projected different outcomes for the second-round contenders.
Logistical hurdles and voter delays
The election, which called over 27.3 million Peruvians to the polls for the 2026-2031 term, faced significant logistical disruptions.
Problems with the distribution of electoral materials caused delays in several districts across Lima. According to BioBioChile, these failures prevented 52,261 people from voting at 13 polling stations in the capital.
Electoral authorities responded by extending the voting period into Monday to allow those disenfranchised to cast their ballots.
Fujimori's current position marks her fourth consecutive appearance in a presidential runoff. In her previous three attempts, she lost the second round to Ollanta Humala in 2011, Pedro Pablo Kuczynski in 2016, and Pedro Castillo in 2021.
