Description: Right – wing presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori and left – wing Roberto Sanchez would face off in a highly contested runoff election in the midst of various instability factors in Peru. Fujimori has secured her place in the runoff much before Sanchez, promising tough crime measures, economic reformation and legislative policies that would create an economic ecosystem in the country favorable to both domestic and foreign companies. Sanchez on the other hand has focused his campaign on the rural Peruvian areas where economic inequality is the primary issue, garnering late support from rural voters. He promised to revise the national mining contracts with foreign partners, nationalize much of the economy and introduce a new constitution in case he secures the majority votes. Both candidates are currently in a statistical standoff with Fujimori standing at 43.2% while Sanches stands at 43.8% of the votes. Peru has been plagued by a long lasting political and security crisis as the nation would choose its tenth President in the last nine years.
Impact: Both presidential candidates are faced with growing socio – economic and security challenges in the country which likely indicates that whoever wins the election would immediately face a state of crisis. Fujimori’s victory would likely mean introducing international investors into the highly contested mining sector in Peru, direct confrontation with the country’s extortion and gang problems and closer ties with the US. Sanchez has appeal in the rural communities where much of the illegal mining operations are taking place that are state – sanctioned, which likely indicates the reason for his late upsurge in the polls, having promised to reinstate and extend those mining permits. The cote count is expected to be finished by Jul, which likely positions Peru in a state of a political stagnancy that could lead to domestic instability and increased crime rates. With a nation deeply divided and politically polarized, no matter the presidential candidate, Peru would likely remain unstable on the political, security and economic fronts in the mid to long – term.