Fujimori raises tensions, calls for annulment of Castillo’s votes

Lima, Jun 9 (EFE).- Keiko Fujimori on Wednesday raised election tensions in Peru by calling for the annulment of some 200,000 votes in regions that overwhelmingly support her opponent, Pedro Castillo, with barely 1 percent of the votes from Sunday’s presidential elections left to be counted.

Fujimori, who is trailing by some 73,000 votes, made a request to the National Jury of Elections (JNE) to annul 802 electoral records due to alleged irregularities and “frauds” at polling stations committed by representatives of Free Peru, Castillo’s party, during polling.

The Popular Force party’s candidate backed her request with images of the alleged irregularities, including signatures that do not match, “statistically” implausible results and the relationship between members of the polling stations.

None of the scenarios presented by Fujimori and her team, led by lawyer and former Fujimorist lawmaker Miguel Torres, fall within the provisions of the country’s law to annul votes.

According to the regulations, the deadline for submitting any request for the annulment of records expired on Wednesday night.

For the request to be admitted, it must be irrefutably proven that the outcome of the voting was the result of threats, violence or bribery.

Fujimori said that her request to annul the ballots cast by 200,000 citizens was only “to defend the vote.”

Fujimori told reporters that the JNE must carefully review 1,200 records, which could mean that up to 500,000 votes were “at stake.”

With 99.041 percent of the votes counted, the leftist Castillo has won 50.2 percent of the votes compared to 49.8 percent by the daughter and political heiress of former President Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000).

The counting of the final votes progressed very slowly during the day while the technical observations of several records, which correspond to the percentage of votes still remaining to be counted, were resolved.

Prior to Fujimori’s announcement, the President of the Council of Ministers, Violeta Bermudez, urged the candidates and citizens to respect the results of the elections and of the democratic channels and forms.

“An electoral contest should not lead us to confrontation between Peruvians, at a time when what we need more is calm,” she added amid demonstrations by both parties. EFE

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