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AMY GOODMAN : This is Democracy Now! , democracynow.org. I’m Amy Goodman.
Peru’s presidential runoff is too close to call, after voters took to the polls Sunday in a heated election between the daughter of a former imprisoned dictator — her name, Keiko Fujimori, or Fujimori — and a leftist lawmaker, Roberto Sánchez. Peruvian election officials warned final results could take up to a month to confirm. The latest ballot count this morning showed Fujimori leading by just about a percentage point ahead of Sánchez, according to Reuters. Sánchez spoke from Lima Sunday.
ROBERTO SÁNCHEZ: [translated] In keeping with our democratic commitment, we have fulfilled our responsibility, and I urge all our fellow citizens to vote responsibly to save Peru and strengthen democracy. Let us respect the free vote and have the capacity to honor the agreements and the election results, always calling for democracy, justice and social peace, and to move Peru forward.
AMY GOODMAN : Keiko Fujimori is the daughter of Peru’s late U.S.-backed ruler Alberto Fujimori, who was convicted and imprisoned on crimes against humanity committed during his regime from 1990 to 2000. Peru is reeling from a period of political turmoil, with Sunday’s runoff marking the ninth time Peruvians take to the polls to elect a new president in just 10 years. The entire Latin American region is experiencing one of its sharpest political shifts to the right in recent years, as President Trump aggressively intervenes, expanding attacks against leftist governments, while backing a series of right-wing candidates in recent presidential elections, including in Colombia and Honduras. Meanwhile, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum has also accused far-right sectors in the U.S. of coordinating with domestic groups to destabilize the Mexican government.
For more, we go to two guests. In Lima, Peru, we’re joined by Gustavo Guerra-García Picasso, a Peruvian economist and public policy expert, who’s held various high-level government and academic positions over the past 20 years. Here in New York, we’re joined by Greg Grandin, Yale University history professor, Pulitzer Prize-winning author. His latest book, America, América: A New History of the New World , now available in paperback. His new piece for The New York Review of Books is headlined “The Education of Pope Leo XIV .”
We welcome you both to Democracy Now! Let’s begin with Gustavo Guerra-García Picasso. Talk about what has happened and if you’ve been surprised by how close this runoff is, and who Sánchez and Fujimori are.
GUSTAVO GUERRA -GARCÍA PICASSO : Thanks for the invitation. I’m very glad to be here with your audience.
Well, Keiko Fujimori, she’s not leading the voting count. The last counting of votes that we have, what we call the quick count of the votes, Roberto Sánchez is leading by 50.3% against 49.7% of Keiko Fujimori. So, as this kind of quick counting votes has a very big sample, all indicates that Roberto Sánchez will be the next president of Peru.
AMY GOODMAN : So, talk more about — I mean, a daughter of a father doesn’t necessarily represent her father’s politics. But in this case, in fact, does Fujimori represent her father?
GUSTAVO GUERRA -GARCÍA PICASSO : Yes, Fujimori represents her father. And in the last years, democracy has been undermined by constitutional changes, leaded by her, that have disrupted the balance of powers and allowed one branch of government to capture several independent branches. Now the president can be removed from office in a month, a week or even a day, and it’s urgent that reforms must be implemented quickly to restore a presidential system with checks and balances and to reduce political instability, no? And the responsibility of these new problems is Keiko’s constitutions of 2024.
AMY GOODMAN : And can you talk about Sánchez’s position, and particularly his support for Indigenous peoples, Sánchez thanking the support of Quechua, the Aymara, the Amazonian peoples, of farmers, teachers, shopkeepers, transportation workers and young people?
GUSTAVO GUERRA -GARCÍA PICASSO : Roberto Sánchez is the leader of the poor in Peru. We have now a result that shows us a divided society, the coastal cities from Lima northward versus the rest of the country, the interior versus Lima, the poor versus the wealthy. Now the government of the Together for Peru party must carefully reconcile the country by closing divides and solving problems. Obviously, Roberto Sánchez is representing — no? — the votes of the poor and the votes of the vast social majority of the country.
AMY GOODMAN : And has President Trump had an effect on the Peruvian elections, Gustavo?
GUSTAVO GUERRA -GARCÍA PICASSO : Not really. I think the government of the United States is having an effect on some public policies, like the pressure for buying far — excuse me, military airplanes, or the pressure for building a military base close to Lim…
Read the full article at Democracy Now! →📄Source document: Peruvian Electoral Authority→9 reports
Bloomberg NewsParty-aligned🔒CenterFactual 90Objective 8612 days agoA Bloomberg News article reports that Peru's presidential election is extremely close, and that votes cast by Peruvian citizens living abroad are expected to determine the outcome rather than votes from within the country.
Bias read (Center): The brief report uses neutral, factual language about the closeness of the race and the role of the diaspora vote, with no loaded wording or favoring of any candidate or side.
Fox News (World)IndependentRightFactual 62Objective 3414 days agoPeru holds a presidential runoff on June 7 between conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori, who supports stronger US ties and free-market policies, and leftist challenger Roberto Sánchez. The election is viewed as a significant test of Latin American political direction, with analysts noting that a Fujimori victory would reinforce a regional trend toward center-right governments more aligned with US interests.
Bias read (Right): The article frames the election through a US geopolitical lens, emphasizing China's strategic threat and using language that favors the US-aligned conservative candidate ("law and order," "free market," "closer ties with the United States") while characterizing the leftist opponent as a threat to US interests; the article also fails to seek substantive response from Sánchez's campaign.
Official sources cited
- organisation José Ignacio Beteta, Executive Director of Asociación de Contribuyentes
Bloomberg NewsParty-aligned🔒Center8 days ago Peru’s Tight Presidential Race Shifts Focus to Disputed BallotsPeru’s presidential race has become contentious as election courts prepare to review hundreds of thousands of disputed ballots following Keiko Fujimori’s narrow lead.
Bias read (Center): The article presents a factual summary of events without overtly favoring any side. It mentions the dispute over ballots and the involvement of election courts but does not include biased language, one-sided sourcing, or editorial commentary.
Breitbart NewsIndependentRight9 days agoPeru's Together for Peru far-left coalition has requested the voiding of approximately 90% of foreign votes cast by Peruvians in the United States in the June 7 presidential runoff. They allege an 'irregular intervention' by the Peruvian Foreign Ministry in favor of conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori.
Bias read (Right): The article frames the situation as a demand by leftist groups to invalidate a large portion of diaspora votes after a conservative candidate takes a lead. This framing emphasizes the actions of leftists and implies their opposition to the conservative candidate's potential victory, which aligns ide
Christian Science MonitorIndependentCenter12 days agoPeru's presidential election is currently deadlocked, with right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori and leftist candidate Roberto Sánchez holding nearly identical leads as the count approaches completion. The situation highlights deep political polarization within Peru and across Latin America. The outcome remains uncertain, with potential shifts expected as remaining ballots are tallied.
Bias read (Center): The article presents the election results objectively without overtly favoring either candidate or political ideology. It emphasizes the statistical tie and the broader implications of political polarization rather than taking a stance on which side is preferable. The framing is neutral, focusing on
Bloomberg NewsParty-aligned🔒Center13 days ago Peru Vote Is Too Close To Call As Fujimori's Lead NarrowsPeru's presidential election remains too close to call as conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori's lead over leftist candidate Roberto Sánchez has narrowed with votes still being counted.
Bias read (Center): The article presents the situation neutrally without apparent bias, simply stating that the race is too close to call with no overtly positive or negative language toward either candidate.
Democracy Now!IndependentLeft13 days agoPeru's presidential runoff election is too close to determine a winner, with Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former dictator Alberto Fujimori, narrowly leading over leftist candidate Roberto Sánchez. Election officials say final results may take up to a month. Fujimori's father, Alberto Fujimori, was a U.S.-backed leader convicted of crimes against humanity during his rule from 1990 to 2000. Peru has experienced significant political instability, with nine presidential elections in the past decade.
Bias read (Left): The article emphasizes the leftist candidate, frames the election within the context of political turmoil, and highlights the background of Keiko Fujimori, whose father was a U.S.-backed dictator. The framing leans toward supporting the leftist perspective and critiques the legacy of right-wing rule
Bloomberg NewsParty-aligned🔒Center13 days ago Peru Vote Is Too Close to Call as Leftist Sánchez Nudges AheadPeru's presidential election remains too close to call as leftist candidate Roberto Sánchez takes a slight lead over conservative Keiko Fujimori, with votes still being counted.
Bias read (Center): The article presents the situation neutrally, noting that the race is too close to determine a winner and that Sánchez has taken a slight lead. There is no overtly biased language, framing, or sourcing that favors one side over the other.
The New York Times (World)Independent🔒Left14 days agoPeru's presidential runoff election is approaching, with voters deciding between a left-wing candidate who has adopted more moderate positions and a right-wing candidate associated with the legacy of former President Alberto Fujimori, known for his controversial policies.
Bias read (Left): The article frames the right-wing candidate as representing 'an autocrat’s divisive legacy,' which implies criticism of the candidate's association with former President Fujimori, a figure widely viewed negatively in Peruvian politics. This phrasing suggests a negative connotation toward the right,傾
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