Peru's future, at stake: Fujimori cuts lead and falls to 2.3 points with 85% counted

The conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori maintains a 2.3-point lead over the left-wing candidate Roberto Sánchez with 85% of the votes counted in the second round of the presidential elections in Peru. Fujimori obtains 51.17% of the votes, while Sánchez reaches 48.82%, according to the official count.

Despite the narrowing gap, opinion polls continue to point to an extremely tight race. An Ipsos estimate for the Transparencia association gives Sánchez victory with 50.3% of the votes, compared to Fujimori's 49.7%. Another projection by Datum Internacional also places the left-wing candidate slightly ahead, with 50.14%.

The count advances unevenly by territory: the first results come mainly from urban areas, especially Lima, where Fujimori has more support, while Sánchez concentrates his strongest results in rural areas and in the expatriate vote, which have yet to be fully counted. This keeps a very tight outcome open that could change as the scrutiny progresses.