Piero Corvetto, head of Peru's electoral authority, resigned amid growing pressure over slow vote counting from the April 12 general election. He denied irregularities and said his departure was meant to help restore public confidence ahead of the June 7 runoff. Thousands of contested ballots are under review, delaying final results. With nearly 94% counted, Keiko Fujimori leads with about 17%, while Roberto Sanchez and Rafael Lopez Aliaga are nearly tied for second.
Peru Election Chief Resigns Amid Delayed Count and Growing Scrutiny
Piero Corvetto, head of the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) speaks at a press conference, ahead of the April 12 general election, in Lima, Peru, April 10, 2026. REUTERS/Manuel Orbegozo
Piero Corvetto, head of Peru's National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE), announced his resignation on Tuesday as pressure mounted over the protracted official count following the April 12 general election.
Corvetto posted his resignation letter on X, acknowledging logistical delays while denying any fraud or irregularities in the vote. He described his departure as "necessary and unavoidable" to help ensure the presidential runoff scheduled for June 7 takes place "in a context of greater public confidence," and called for the remaining issues to be addressed through an "impartial and exhaustive investigation."
Contested ballots and further delays. On Monday, Peru's electoral authorities began reviewing thousands of contested ballots challenged for inconsistencies, missing information or tally-sheet errors. That review has further delayed the publication of final results and left no clear challenger yet to face conservative frontrunner Keiko Fujimori in the June runoff.
European Union election observers reported last week that they found no evidence of fraud in the process. Nonetheless, fraud allegations from several candidates, plus calls for Corvetto's replacement by business leaders and lawmakers, intensified scrutiny of Peru's electoral bodies.
The National Jury of Elections (JNE) — Peru's top electoral authority — said the final presidential result must be known no later than May 15 and quickly posted that it had accepted Corvetto's resignation on X.
According to ONPE, with nearly 94% of ballots tallied, Keiko Fujimori was leading with about 17% of the vote. Left-wing congressman Roberto Sanchez and ultra-conservative Rafael Lopez Aliaga remained locked in a tight contest for second place, with 12.0% and 11.9% respectively — a margin of roughly 14,000 votes that continues to fluctuate.
The resignation leaves Peru's electoral institutions facing intensified scrutiny as they work to complete the count, resolve disputed ballots and restore public confidence ahead of the June runoff.
Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Brendan O'Boyle; Edited by Lucinda Elliott and Cassandra Garrison.
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