The Americas

Fujimori gains ground in tight Peruvian presidential vote

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Flanked by his running mates Mercedes Araoz, right, and Martin Vizcarra, presidential candidate Pedro Pablo Kuczynski and his wife Nancy Lange, greet supporters and reporters gathered outside their home in Lima, Peru, Monday, June 6, 2016. Kuczynski had a razor-thin lead over his rival Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of jailed former strongman Alberto Fujimori, as Peruvians awaited results still trickling in from remote parts of the Andean nation. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) (The Associated Press)

Flanked by his running mates Mercedes Araoz, right, and Martin Vizcarra, presidential candidate Pedro Pablo Kuczynski acknowledges supporters and reporters gathered outside his home in Lima, Peru, Monday, June 6, 2016. Kuczynski had a razor-thin lead over his rival Keiko Fujimori, the daughter of jailed former strongman Alberto Fujimori, as Peruvians awaited results still trickling in from remote parts of the Andean nation. Kuczynski's wife Nancy Lange is pictured at left. (AP Photo/Silvia Izquierdo) (The Associated Press)

Peru's President Ollanta Humala waves to supporters during a Flag Day ceremony in Lima, Peru, Tuesday, June 7, 2016, two days after the presidential run-off election. The nail-biter race for Peru's presidency tightened Tuesday as the daughter of imprisoned ex-president Alberto Fujimori gained ground on her rival thanks to votes trickling in from remote rural areas and embassies abroad. Former World Bank economist Pedro Pablo Kuczysnki has a razor-thin lead over Keiko Fujimori. (AP Photo/Rodrigo Abd) (The Associated Press)

The nail-biter race to become Peru's next president tightened as the daughter of imprisoned ex-president Alberto Fujimori gained ground on her rival thanks to a larger haul of votes trickling in from remote rural areas and embassies abroad.

Former World Bank economist Pedro Pablo Kuczysnki's razor-thin lead over Keiko Fujimori shrank to fewer than 75,000 votes late Monday night. With almost 95 percent of polling stations counted, Kuczynski had 50.2 percent of the votes compared with Fujimori's 49.8 percent.

While two quick counts showed Kuczynski prevailing in a tight contest, still to be counted are the ballots of 885,000 Peruvians eligible to vote abroad and who turned out massively for Fujimori in the 2011 election.

Both candidates remained silent Monday urging supporters to await the final tally.