Peruvians vote on Sunday with a familiar name on the ballot, Keiko Fujimori, a late strongman’s daughter beaten three times before but now a slight favourite to lead a country that has burnt through eight presidents in a decade.
Fujimori faces a tight presidential runoff against leftist Roberto Sánchez after a campaign dominated by violent crime, extortion and anger at a political class that many voters blame for years of chaos.
The race remains highly competitive after an April first round marred by logistical failures, delayed polling stations and fraud allegations that added to distrust in Peru’s battered institutions.
Polls show about a fifth of voters are undecided, and neither finalist built a strong backing in the first round, when they combined for less than 30 per cent of the vote.
A final Ipsos pre-election poll showed Fujimori leading Sanchez by three percentage points close to the margin of error.
In Lima’s San Juan de Lurigancho district, crime is a top concern for voters.
“We live in fear even to open the door when our children go to school,” Epifania Almeyda said.
“Here the police don’t show up,” she added.
Fujimori, 51, has run for president three times and lost each time. This fourth attempt may be her best chance yet.
A former lawmaker and party leader, she shot to prominence when she became first lady at 19, after her mother broke with her father amid corruption scandals.
Alberto Fujimori’s legacy still defines his daughter’s political identity and is both an asset and a liability.
He was hailed by supporters for defeating leftist insurgents and stabilising the economy but later jailed for corruption and human rights abuses before his death in 2024.
With extortion rising and killings becoming more frequent, Fujimori is betting voters now want tough leadership.
“Today, when Peru is bleeding because of criminals and extortionists, what people are asking for is a Fujimori, here I am,” she said in an interview ahead of April’s first-round vote.
She has pledged to deploy the military, toughen prisons and expel undocumented migrants within her first 100 days.
Her message has resonated in violence-hit districts like San Juan de Lurigancho, where she performed strongly in the first round.
There, bus driver Jacob Condor prepares for work with a prayer each morning, fearing he will be the target of extortion or violence.
“I’m afraid I won’t come back,” the 33-year-old said.
“You go out to work in fear. A passenger gets on and they can shoot you from behind,” she added.
Transport businessman Julio Cesar Raurau is backing Fujimori to solve the problem.
“As her father defeated terrorism, she will defeat criminal organisations," he said.
Sanchez, a former minister and congressman, is campaigning as the candidate of poorer and rural Peruvians who feel excluded from power.
Backed by supporters of jailed ex-president Pedro Castillo, he has promised to shake up police leadership and rewrite laws he says favour criminal groups.
Sanchez argues Fujimori is part of the problem. Her party has exercised major influence in a fragmented Congress that has helped topple several presidents.
Some voters feel angry about politics as usual.
“We want radical change,” Oliver Cotera, motor taxi driver, said.
Cotera blamed ‘the political class’ for insecurity and said he would vote for Sanchez because Fujimori had done nothing for the people.
Even voters on opposite sides agree that instability has helped criminal groups grow.
Peru has seen presidents fall in rapid succession, weakening institutions and the state’s ability to respond.
Peru’s economy has remained relatively stable, with steady growth and low inflation.
Whoever wins Sunday will face a divided Congress and a political system that has repeatedly broken presidents.
About 27 million Peruvians are eligible to vote. Polling stations open at 07:00 (local time) and close ten hours later.
