LIMA: Keiko Fujimori has vowed to unite Peru after her first-round presidential election victory, but she faces a fierce runoff battle to overcome the divisive legacy of her jailed father.
The 40-year-old conservative candidate claimed a boost from Sunday's vote in her quest to become the first female president of the South American mineral-exporting nation.
But she faces resistance from voters who mistrust her because her father Alberto Fujimori is in jail for corruption and human rights atrocities committed during his 1990-2000 presidency.
The lawmaker and mother of two also faces a challenge from moderate conservative Pedro Pablo Kuczynski, 77, a British- and US-educated former World Bank executive, who has vowed to defeat the "Fujimoristas."
Official results with 89.7 percent of ballots counted on Monday showed Fujimori had 39.48 percent of the vote against 21.38 percent for Kuczynski, known as "PPK."
He beat left-wing contender Veronika Mendoza to win second place.
In the second round on June 5, "Kuczynski will get lots of anti-Fujimorista votes," said Luis Benavente, head of polling agency Vox Populi.
"The second round will be very polarized."
Comments
Comments are closed.