Marco Zevallos, a member of the legal team for Together for Peru (JP), argued that the evidence of fraud in the second round of the election lies in the amendments made to the regulations days before the election, which prevented the digitization of ballots from abroad.
“At Together for Peru (JP), we believe that the electoral process has been seriously compromised. This stems from the ONPE’s resolution, which—at the request of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs—lowered the legal safeguards for the runoff election on May 29,” he warned, noting that the requirement to digitize the ballots for shipment to Peru immediately upon the conclusion of the electoral process had been removed.
“They are asking us to present evidence regarding the allegations of fraud made by Juntos por el Perú (JP), and our evidence consists of the amendments to the electoral regulations made days before the election, which prevented the digitization of ballots from abroad,” he stated.
“Juntos por el Perú does not take away the right to vote from Peruvians abroad; that right is taken away by the mafia-like pact within Congress,” Zevallos declared, noting that Foreign Minister Carlos Pareja violated the law by ordering that the ballots from abroad not be digitized.
His statements were made during a press conference attended by presidential candidate Roberto Sánchez, as well as campaign manager Walter Flores, senator-elect Jaime Quito, attorneys Roy Mendoza and Julio Palomino, former prosecutor José Domingo Pérez, and first vice-presidential candidate Anali Márquez.
“If the JNE Fails to Act, JP Will Not Recognize Keiko Fujimori’s Government”
For his part, Roberto Sánchez asserted that if the National Elections Board (JNE) fails to act in accordance with the law and with transparency, Juntos por el Perú (JP) will not recognize Keiko Fujimori’s government. “They don’t want to consider a recount—what are they hiding? If they do not resolve this in the interest of legal certainty, that fraud will have been consummated, and under those conditions we will not recognize Ms. Fujimori’s government.”
After noting that all their actions are in line with the more than nine million citizens who voted for Together for Peru, Sánchez said that the struggle will be democratic and one of patriotic and popular resistance.
“On Saturday, we will hold a national day of democratic struggle, within the framework of the law and our constitutional rights. We call on the social movement and democratic forces to restore democracy to Peru—so that we do not face five years of the hijacking of parliamentary democracy, as is the case with Ms. Fujimori,” he warned after denouncing political and judicial persecution against various social leaders who are defending their rights.
