Peru divided between Castillo, Fujimori amid clamor of ‘coup,’ ‘fraud’
The sharp political division in Peru on Saturday returned to the streets with parallel demonstrations by those who support right-winger Keiko Fujimori’s allegations of fraud in recently held elections, and the supporters of left-wing Pedro Castillo, who demanded the formal declaration of his victory.
Fujimori’s supporters believe that Castillo’s electoral
victory, which has been challenged by his opponent, was fraudulent, while the
other side held protests against alleged “coup” attempts by the Fujimori camp
after her third consecutive defeat in presidential polls.
Both leaders spoke at the massive demonstrations held in
Lima’s city center for the second week in a row, as the pressure mounts on the
National Jury of Elections, which is yet to decide on Fujimori’s appeal for
annulling thousands of votes.
Despite not being declared so, Castillo has already begun
acting as the president-elect, and on Saturday outlined the the key focus of his
government along with issuing a message of unity at the Plaza San Martin in the
capital.
“The fights are over. I call for the broadest possible unity
of the Peruvian people. From now on, there are no winners or losers. We are a
big family required to move forward towards a Peru of opportunities,” he said.
“You have an elected government here,” insisted the teacher
and leader of the Peruvian teachers’ union, who promised a corruption-free
term.
Castillo rejected allegations of being a communist or Chavist
– a reference to former Venezuelan president Hugo Chavez – leveled by the
opposition, and insisted that he was a democrat and believed in institutions.
The leader also thanked international bodies such as the
Organization of American States (OAS), which have ruled out fraud in the
elections held on Jun. 6.
The European Union, the United States Department of State,
Canada and other international observers have also backed the electoral
process, in which Castillo had received 50.12 percent of the votes, securing a
slender lead of 44,000 over Fujimori.
However, his opponent, the daughter and political successor
of former president Alberto Fujimori (1990-2000), has alleged fraud and sought
the annulment of around 200,000 votes from the rural, Andean and poor regions,
where Castillo had registered a landslide.
As the electoral jurors have rejected all her primary
appeals citing lack of proof or delays, Fujimori said on Saturday that she
would send a letter to interim president Francisco Sagasti seeking an
international audit by the OAS.
“Mr Sagasti: look and hear the voices of more than 8 million
Peruvians who want to know the truth,” the leader said on Saturday.
“We don’t ask you to favor us, but to probe all these
irregularities and cheating that has been done at the polling booths,” she
added.
“I will never yield,” insisted Fujimori, whose stance of not
recognizing the results has polarized the country, as the head of the National
Office of Electoral Processes, Piero Carvetto, was manhandled outside the
Regatas sports club in Lima on Saturday.
Fijimori is facing money laundering charges over allegations
of irregular financing for her electoral campaigns, and her political future
hangs in the balance as the country awaits formal declaration of electoral
results.
All eyes are now on the National Jury of Elections, which
has to take a final call on the Fujimori’s appeal.
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