20 July 2021

Pedro Castillo defeats Keiko Fujimori in Peru presidential election

20 July 2021

Rural teacher-turned-political novice Pedro Castillo became the winner of Peru’s presidential election after the country’s longest electoral count in 40 years.

He defeated right-wing politiician Keiko Fujimori by just 44,000 votes.

Electoral authorities on Monday released the final official results more than a month after the run-off election took place in the South American nation.

Pedro Castillo waves to supporters after election authorities declared him president-elect (AP)

Mr Castillo’s supporters included Peru’s poor and rural citizens, with the new leader known for popularising the phrase ‘No more poor in a rich country’.

Peru is the world’s second-largest copper producer but its economy has been crushed by the coronavirus pandemic.

The poverty level has increased to almost one-third of the population, eliminating the gains of a decade.

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