Peruvian election frontrunner Keiko Fujimori pledges to expel illegal immigrants and strengthen ties with Washington
Latest polls show that Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori, is leading the race, and she is expected to advance to the runoff alongside a comedian and a "Trump-supporter" businessman from among 35 candidates following Sunday's voting. Peru has long been plagued by political turmoil and soaring crime rates.
On Friday, ahead of Sunday's April 12 presidential election, the leading candidate Keiko Fujimori told AFP in an exclusive interview that, if elected, she would expel illegal immigrants, attract more American investment, and continue the current conservative wave sweeping across the region.
The right-wing candidate promised to combat crime and "restore order" within her first 100 days in office, while also signaling her close ties with conservative leaders in Washington and neighboring countries including Argentina, Chile, Ecuador, and Bolivia.
Keiko Fujimori, running for president for the fourth time, is considered a front-runner in this election, which features a record number of 35 candidates. Recent polling shows she has garnered nearly 15% support.
Amid intensifying competition between the United States and China in Latin America, Fujimori stated her desire to strengthen relations with Washington. She said, "If I become president, my duty will be to encourage the U.S. to re-engage more actively in Peru’s economy," adding that she also hopes to "inspire Europe to once again cross the Atlantic and come to Peru."
According to data cited by AFP from Chinese sources, Peru, an Andean nation, is the second-largest recipient of Chinese investment in Latin America after Brazil, with Chinese investments in the country amounting to at least $29 billion between 2005 and 2025.
Source: rfi
Original: toutiao.com/article/1862189904153611/
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