Far-left Schoolteacher Takes Lead As Peru Counts Presidential Votes By Luis Jaime CISNEROS and Francisco JARA
04/12/21 AT 7:15 PM
A far-left union leader and teacher has taken a surprise, though slim, lead in Peru s presidential election, and will likely face a rightwing rival in a runoff in June, incomplete results showed Monday.
With nearly 90 percent of ballots counted by Monday evening, leftist Pedro Castillo was in the lead with 18.83 percent much higher than predicted by opinion polls which had not even placed him in the top five.
He will likely square off on June 6 against corruption-accused Keiko Fujimori, a rightwing populist who has 13.21 percent, according to results released by the ONPE electoral office. It will be Fujimori s third shot at the top job.
Inconclusive Peru Presidential Vote Amid Deadly Covid-19 Surge By Francisco JARA and Christian SIERRA
04/12/21 AT 4:18 AM
Ballots were being counted Sunday in Peruvian presidential elections destined for a run-off with no candidate able to fire up the crisis-weary nation, during its deadliest week of the Covid-19 pandemic to date.
Some 25 million people were eligible to vote which is mandatory the day after Peru reported its highest-ever daily toll in the pandemic.
With 38 percent of votes counted by early Monday, far-left labor unionist Pedro Castillo took a surprise lead among 18 candidates with 15.9 percent much higher than polls had predicted but far short of the 51 percent required to avoid a run-off scheduled for June 6.
Ballots on Sunday were being counted in the Peruvian presidential elections destined for a run-off with no candidate able to fire up the nation during its deadliest week of the COVID-19 pandemic to date.
About 25 million people were eligible to vote which is mandatory the day after Peru reported its highest-ever daily toll in the pandemic.
With 16 percent of the votes counted by early Monday, far-left labor unionist Pedro Castillo took a lead among 18 candidates with 15.7 percent much higher than polls had predicted, but far short of the 51 percent required to avoid a run-off