The presidential run-off vote in Peru is shaping up to be a neck-and-neck race between the right-wing conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori and the left-wing politician Roberto Sánchez.
According to preliminary results on Monday afternoon based on just under 94% of the votes counted, Sánchez has secured 50.012% of the vote, the country's electoral commission announced.
Fujimori has received 49.988%, with just over 4,000 votes separating the two candidates.
Fujimori, the daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, had previously held a narrow lead.
"Whatever the result, we will recognize it," the right-wing politician said at a press conference. "And we demand that our rival does the same."
Once the full count is complete, the Supreme Electoral Court has until mid-July to officially declare a winner.
More than 27 million Peruvians were called upon to cast their votes in Sunday's run-off election, which was called after none of the 35 candidates garnered the necessary majority to win in the first round in April. The new president is scheduled to take office on July 28.
Fujimori, whose father was convicted of human rights violations, is standing for the conservative Popular Force party and is running for highest office for the fourth time.
Sánchez, a former minister in the government of imprisoned President Pedro Castillo, is standing for the United for Peru alliance.
Just two days before the run-off, a case against him was reopened regarding illegal party financing six years ago.
During the campaign, Fujimori announced plans to crack down hard on organized crime and to make prisoners work.
She also wants to deregulate the economy and improve financial support for children and the elderly.
Sánchez, on the other hand, advocates partial nationalization of mineral resources and wants to have a new constitution drafted.
The political situation in Peru, a country of some 35 million, is extremely unstable and characterized by constant conflict between parliament and the government.
In the past 10 years, the South American country has had eight presidents.
The last Peruvian president to complete his five-year term was Ollanta Humala, who governed from 2011 to 2016.
