Peru’s presidential election on a knife edge as counting continues

The figures released by Peru’s elections agency, the National Office of Electoral Processes, included almost all votes cast near the country’s electoral processing centres

Presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori. Picture: Guadalupe Pardo/AP

The daughter of an imprisoned former president maintained a razor-thin advantage over her opponent in the race for Peru’s presidency in a run-off election held a day earlier as the coronavirus pandemic continues to batter the Andean country.

With 92% of votes counted, conservative Keiko Fujimori had 50.1% of the vote, while rural teacher-turned-political novice Pedro Castillo had 49.8%, according to official results.