Calls are mounting in Peru for the removal of the country’s top election official as delays and controversy continue to overshadow the ongoing presidential vote count.
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According to Reuters, pressure is growing on Piero Corvetto, head of the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE), amid complaints of logistical failures and alleged irregularities during the April 12 election.
With more than 93% of ballots counted, conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori remains in the lead with about 17% of the vote, while leftist Roberto Sánchez and right-wing Rafael López Aliaga are locked in a tight race for second place, separated by only around 13,000 votes.
The slow counting process—partly due to about 5% of ballots being flagged for manual review—has heightened tensions and delayed clarity on who will face Fujimori in a June runoff.
Corvetto has denied any wrongdoing, although he acknowledged logistical issues that forced voting to be extended in some areas.
Authorities have launched investigations, including a criminal complaint by Peru’s electoral court and a police probe after voting materials were found abandoned.
Despite fraud allegations from some candidates, European Union observers say they have found no evidence of manipulation, even as political uncertainty continues to unsettle parts of the country.
