Published on 6/30/2026
Peru’s conservative president-elect, Keiko Fujimori, pledged – yesterday, Monday – to restore “order and hope”, after her victory over leftist candidate Roberto Sanchez, in the latest victory for the right-wing movement that is witnessing the rise in Latin America.
Final results showed Fujimori narrowly winning the June 7 presidential runoff, with her rival Sanchez beating by less than 50,000 votes, out of more than 18 million ballots cast.
These elections were held in an atmosphere dominated by increasing crime rates and chronic political instability in the country, which witnessed the election of eight presidents within one decade.
Fujimori is the daughter of the late President Alberto Fujimori, who served a 16-year prison sentence for human rights violations.
Iron fist policy
As extortion gangs and hired assassins surged, Fujimori vowed an “iron fist” policy modeled on that of her father, who won praise for crushing Maoist rebels and curbing hyperinflation but was later exiled and imprisoned on corruption and crimes against humanity charges carried out in the name of fighting terrorism.
Fujimori is supposed to take office on July 28 for a five-year presidential term.
Sanchez has not yet commented on the announcement of the election results, but he previously warned that he would not recognize any government headed by his rival, speaking of administrative irregularities in managing the voting process for expatriates abroad.
Sanchez called on his supporters to organize more protests in the coming days, which could prolong the political crisis afflicting the country, which has led to repeated successive presidents over the past decade.
