Thousands March in Peru as Election Result Drags

Date: 07 July 2021 - 21:46

News ID: ۹۲۱۸۱

LIMA (Reuters) - Thousands of Peruvians took to the streets to protest uncertainty over the result of the presidential election a month ago, as the confirmation of leftist Pedro Castillo is held up by ballot challenges from his conservative rival.
Supporters of Castillo, carrying colorful Wiphala Andean flags and banners with pictures of the socialist former teacher, marched toward Congress demanding that his narrow lead of some 44,000 votes be upheld.
Across town, supporters of right-wing Keiko Fujimori rallied to back her claims of voter fraud and attempts to annul some ballots, a push her party has stuck with even though election observers say the vote was carried out cleanly.
“Peru wants a president and here we have professor Pedro Castillo elected,” said Santos Saavedra, the head of a rural defense group known as the Rondas Campesinas said during a march. “We are going to defend that popular will.”