Peruvian Political Heir Fujimori Claims Presidency Amid High-Stakes Election
LIMA — Conservative president‑elect Keiko Fujimori has vowed to restore “order and hope” after narrowly winning Peru’s presidential runoff, marking the latest victory for a resurgent Latin American right.
Fujimori secured the top office on her fourth attempt, outpolling leftist Roberto Sánchez by fewer than 50,000 votes out of more than 18 million ballots cast. She will take office on July 28 for a five‑year term.
The 51‑year‑old daughter of the late autocratic leader Alberto Fujimori inherits a country grappling with powerful organized crime gangs and chronic political instability that saw Peru burn through eight presidents in the past decade.
Her victory brings the Fujimori name back to the presidential palace more than two decades after her father’s fall. Alberto Fujimori, who ruled from 1990 to 2000, was praised for crushing Maoist rebels and taming hyperinflation but later jailed for corruption and crimes against humanity — a legacy that still divides the country.
The election was fought on rising crime and political instability. With extortion gangs and contract killings on the rise, Fujimori promised a strong hand like her father’s.
“She will govern well because she has good proposals,” said Lima vendor Jenny Martinez, 40.
Sánchez had warned he would not recognize a government led by his rival, alleging irregularities in the overseas vote. He had yet to react to the final results.
Fujimori acknowledged the country is deeply divided. “We have the responsibility of listening to both sides. The doors for dialogue are open,” she said.
Her victory is part of a broader right‑wing wave across Latin America, following similar wins in Colombia, Bolivia, Ecuador, and Chile. For decades, the Fujimori name has been both a help and a hindrance — providing instant recognition and a loyal base, but also blocking her path to the presidency three times due to lingering resentment over her father’s rule.
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