Ruptly

Andean Peru votes — Rural communities vote in high-stakes presidential runoff

"Residents of the Andean district of Coata, in Peru's Puno region, headed to the polls on Sunday to take part in the country's presidential runoff election. Footage from polling stations showed voters arriving from the early hours of the morning to cast their ballots in a contest between right-wing candidate Keiko Fujimori and left-wing candidate Roberto Sanchez. Voters expressed their demand for greater government support for rural communities. "We want support, and we also want justice. We need water, sewage services, and maintenance," said one of the voters. The runoff follows a first round of voting in which neither candidate secured enough support to win the presidency outright. More than 27 million Peruvians are eligible to vote, including nearly 1.3 million citizens living abroad. Voting is compulsory in Peru, and those who fail to participate may face fines. Electoral authorities are expected to release the first preliminary results throughout the evening. The winner will take office for a five-year term and will face the challenge of governing a country marked by deep political and social divisions."