Edited by: Dmytro Hubenko
On Sunday, Peru is holding its ninth presidential election in 10 years.
Democratic socialist candidate Roberto Sanchez is facing the neoliberal Keiko Fujimori in a tightly contested runoff election centered on political instability and rising crime.
About 27 million voters are eligible to cast ballots for the five-year presidential term.
In the first round of the election featuring 35 presidential candidates, Fujimori advanced to the runoff with just 17% of the vote, while Sanchez secured around 12%.
Fujimori is the daughter of former autocratic President Alberto Fujimori. In her fourth presidency bid, she is promising a hardline security stance that includes tougher prisons and military deployments.
Sanchez, a congressman and former minister backed by former President Pedro Castillo, has pledged to maintain economic stability while tackling corruption.
On Friday, a judge ruled that Sanchez could stand trial over alleged campaign finance violations. Prosecutors have indicted the politician, alleging inconsistencies in his party's financial reports.
He has been accused of receiving tens of thousands of dollars in unreported contributions. Sanchez denies the accusations.
The vote comes after years of political turmoil in Peru, which has seen eight presidents since 2016.
Neither candidate in this Sunday election has a legislative majority, which raises the prospect of continued instability.
The winner will replace interim president Balcazar on July 28.
Disclaimer: This report first appeared on Deutsche Welle, and has been republished on ABP Live as part of a special arrangement. Apart from the headline, no changes have been made in the report by ABP Live.
