Peru’s closely contested presidential election entered a new phase of uncertainty on Friday after left-wing candidate Roberto Sánchez announced plans to seek the annulment of the vote and called for new nationwide mobilizations, refusing to accept a potential defeat to rival Keiko Fujimori as the official count nears completion.
Speaking from the balcony of his party headquarters in Lima, Sánchez told supporters that his legal team would soon file a formal request to invalidate the election results. The announcement came as Fujimori maintained a lead of more than 42,000 votes with 99.6% of ballots counted, placing her on course for victory pending the final tally and official certification.
“In the coming hours our legal team will file an appeal for the nullification of the elections,” Sánchez declared before a crowd of supporters. He also signaled further demonstrations, stating that “historic mobilizations” were being prepared in what he described as a defense of the popular vote.
The move underscored Sánchez’s intention to continue contesting the election both through legal channels and public demonstrations. Earlier in the day, thousands of supporters responded to his call to “defend the people’s vote” and marched through the streets of Lima.
The demonstration began at Campo de Marte in the district of Jesús María and moved toward the city center, passing through several major public squares. Sánchez led the march alongside his two vice-presidential running mates, Analí Márquez and Brígida Curo, as well as senior figures from Juntos por el Perú, including party secretary-general Roberto Zunini. Former prosecutor José Domingo Pérez, who previously led investigations into alleged illicit campaign contributions involving Fujimori before the case was recently closed, also participated.
Protesters chanted slogans directed against Fujimori and questioned the legitimacy of the election outcome. Despite the tense political climate, authorities reported no clashes or major disturbances during the event. A significant police presence accompanied the march throughout its route, and Sánchez emphasized the peaceful nature of the demonstration, stating that his supporters had demonstrated their commitment to nonviolent protest.
At the center of Sánchez’s challenge are allegations concerning the handling of votes cast abroad. The candidate and his party have argued that procedures used during the second-round election differed from those implemented in the first round. According to Sánchez, overseas voting records were not digitized in the same manner as before, raising concerns about transparency and the chain of custody of electoral documents.
The Peruvian Foreign Ministry has rejected those allegations. In a public statement, the ministry explained that the scanning system used in some consulates during the first round was only a supplementary tool requested by the National Office of Electoral Processes and was implemented in 108 of the country’s 180 consular offices. Officials said technical issues reported by several consulates led to the system not being used in the runoff vote. The ministry also stated that there had been no breach in the chain of custody and that all electoral records arrived intact at electoral authorities.
The dispute intensified further during a hearing before the National Jury of Elections, where lawyers representing Juntos por el Perú sought the annulment of 1,751 polling stations within Peru and another 647 abroad. During the proceedings, party representatives explicitly cited alleged electoral fraud as the basis for their request, marking the first time the accusation had been openly advanced during the legal challenge.
Authorities meanwhile implemented additional security measures in the capital. Lima Mayor Renzo Reggiardo ordered the closure of vehicle access to the city’s historic center until Monday. Sánchez criticized the decision, claiming it was intended to obstruct the protest march.
While Sánchez escalated his challenge to the election process, Fujimori spent the day responding to questions about potential government policies as her lead continued to grow gradually in the official count. Addressing questions about possible humanitarian pardons for former presidents imprisoned at Lima’s Barbadillo prison, Fujimori said any request would be evaluated with respect for human dignity and without persecution or preferential treatment.
With the vote count nearly complete and legal challenges now looming, Peru faces the prospect of a prolonged post-election dispute as competing narratives over the legitimacy of the result continue to emerge.
Every vote counts. Just because someone isn’t living in Peru at the time of the election doesn’t mean their vote is any less. This is disgusting behavior. Sanchez should be ashamed of himself. All votes count.