CHUGUR, Peru (AP) — The humble two-story, adobe home of the Castillo family, located in one of the poorest districts of Peru deep in the Andes, feels a little empty now. Lilia Paredes packed up the family’s belongings within the last week, neatly folding her husband’s shirts and picking some plates and silverware in between visits from farmers from nearby villages stopping by to say goodbye.
A neo-baroque presidential palace awaits Paredes, her husband and Peruvian President-elect Pedro Castillo, and their two children — should the family chose to live in the historic building.
Castillo, will be sworn in as president Wednesday, less than two weeks after he was declared the winner of the June 6 runoff election. The leftist rural teacher, who has never held office, defeated his opponent, right-wing career politician Keiko Fujimori, by just 44,000 votes.