Peru Elections 2021: Knife-edge battle between authoritarian socialist & corrupt oligarch

Peru is currently sitting on the knife's edge of what may perhaps be the tensest elections in its modern history. The major cliffhanger of an election is dictated by a mere 0.4 per cent vote margin as of Thursday morning. 

For years, if not decades, Peru suffered from violence, instability and poverty. Many credit Keiko Fujimori's father, Alberto Fujimori, who became President in 1990, promised to implement free-market reforms that eventually grew the economy and violently crushed the communist insurgency in the nation that was then also prevalent in several South American countries.

Corrupt Oligarch vs Authoritarian Socialist

Pedro Castillo, a staunch communist, teacher and union leader at the time of publishing this article has 50.2 per cent of the vote share; whereas Keiko Fujimori, the right-wing daughter of a former authoritarian President, has 49.8 per cent.

In the years that followed after the 1990 elections, Peru's poverty reduction rate was among the best in the world, as companies thronged to invest in the country that was mineral-rich. Notably, in 1997, 17.3 per cent of the country lived on less than $1.90 a day but by 2019, the number had dropped to 2.2 per cent. However, much of Peru remained poor as corrupt governments failed to invest in health, development and education. 

When COVID hit, similar to other countries, Peru was also completely unprepared. Its economy had shrunk by 11 per cent and 3 million of its 32 million people fell into abject poverty, and it also recorded the world's highest COVID death rate owing to its poor health infrastructure and lack of awareness.

Peru Elections 2021

The current election is significant for another reason, it takes place in the middle of a widely divided Peru. While Castillo's support is garnered among the poorer Peruvians and in rural regions, where people see unequal growth, the middle and upper classes form Fujimori's vote base. She has reportedly won every district in Lima-Peru's wealthiest city forming an elite society.

Castillo's party's slogan is along the lines of 'We're heading to socialism, without fear.' His party support communism and hails leaders such as Fidel Castro. Castillo has been alarmingly vocal about wanting to limit foreign companies' profits and is rumoured to have links with communist insurgents that Fujimori's family and other leaders struggled to eradicate from the country. He has stated his intention to nationalise companies and even shut the Supreme Court. Among his other threats, he has also declared to limit press freedom in the country.

Castillo and Fujimori's legacy and political connections

while on the one hand, Castillo is a communist-loving, anarchist, Fujimori, on the other hand, represents the corrupt establishment. Parts of her manifesto include pardoning her father, who is serving a 25-year sentence for corruption and human rights abuses. Fujimori herself if convicted is staring at 30 years in prison for alleged laundering of campaign money. However, she denies all charges and stated that these claims are baseless and strictly political in nature. Fujimori's party wants to continue condoning the free market but increase social spending and raise the minimum wage.

In the Primary elections that decide the final 2 candidates which concluded in April 2021, Castillo won 19 per cent of the votes and Fujimori won 13 per cent. There were 16 other candidates whose vote share occupied two-thirds of the rest of the ballot-who voted in the hope that a possible third front could be elected to power.

Future of Peru after May 2021 Elections

Fujimori-who seemed to be leading until Wednesday night-was in for a rude shock as Castillo gained a slight advantage after rural votes started coming in. Although Castillo's victory looks likely, it appears to be too close a call at the moment, whoever wins is likely to contest the results while facing the wrath of millions of angry Peruvians.