Shadow of old dictatorship looms over Peru’s bitter presidential run-off

Peru’s duelling presidential hopefuls made a final pitch to voters on Thursday, capping a bruising and razor-tight race dominated by anger over rising crime and political instability.

Conservative Keiko Fujimori and leftist Roberto Sanchez staged rival events in Lima ahead of Sunday’s vote, with ardent flag-waving supporters arguing their “communist” or “dictator” opponents would bring the country to ruin.

“We cannot let them win with communism and terrorism,” said bandana-wearing 65-year-old Merida Delgado Perez, a Fujimori supporter, expressing fears that the left could lead Peru down a path seen in Venezuela and Cuba.

Each candidate has framed the election as a turning point for a country that has burned through eight presidents in a decade.

Polls show them separated by only a few points, with roughly a fifth of voters still undecided in the last week of the campaign.

An inconclusive first round with dozens of candidates reflected widespread frustration with Peru’s political class.