Historians say that Pedro Castillo is the first farmer to become the President of Peru. The final official results were released by the election officials on Monday.
Pedro Castillo appointed as the new President of Peru (AFP)
Rural teacher-turned-politician Pedro Castillo was declared victorious in Peru’s presidential election after the longest vote count in 40 years. Castillo defeated right-wing leader Keiko Fujimori by a margin of just 44,000 votes. Castillo has a strong hold among the country’s poor people and rural citizens. Election officials announced the final results on Monday, more than a month after runoff elections were held in the South American country.
During the election campaign, Castillo popularized the slogan ‘A rich country no more poor’. Peru is the second largest copper producer in the world. The Peruvian economy has collapsed due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Poverty levels have risen in one-third of the country’s population, and the economic gains achieved after decades of hard work have diminished. Historians say that Castillo is the first farmer to become president of Peru. The final official results were released by the election officials on Monday.
Emphasis on bridging the gap in education and health sector
Castillo has promised to use revenue from the mining sector to improve public services, including education and health. During the epidemic, gaps have been seen in these areas. In April, he had said that those who do not have a car must have at least one cycle. Castillo, on the other hand, has gone soft on his proposals to nationalize multinational mining and natural gas companies. Instead, his election campaign said he was considering raising the tax on profits due to high copper prices.
Keiko Fujimori vows to accept results
At the same time, before the announcement of the election results on Monday, Keiko Fujimori had said that she would accept the results. He said, the truth will come out in any case. We are all going to work together to restore legitimacy in our country. Keiko Fujimori is the daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori. Alberto Fujimori is serving a 25-year sentence for several crimes, including corruption and human rights abuses. At the same time, Keiko Fujimori himself is being investigated for alleged corruption and money laundering. They claim that these investigations are politically motivated. Between 2018 and 2020, he spent a total of 13 months in jail.
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