The State Department on Tuesday congratulated conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori after she was declared the winner of Peru’s presidential runoff election by a razor-thin margin.The statement marked a significant milestone in Latin American relations, with Washington signaling it expects to work closely with Fujimori’s administration on shared priorities."The United States congratulates President-Elect Keiko Fujimori of Peru on her important electoral victory," the department said. "The Trump Administration looks forward to deepening collaboration with the Fujimori Administration to advance security cooperation and to strengthen bilateral cooperation on investment and trade in our region."TRUMP ADMIN WARNS PERU IT COULD LOSE SOVEREIGNTY AS CHINA TIGHTENS GRIP ON NATIONPeru's presidential candidate for the Fuerza Popular party, Keiko Fujimori, waves to supporters during a closing campaign rally in Lima on June 4, 2026.(Anthony Nino de Guzman/AFP)Her victory comes as Washington seeks to strengthen ties with pro-market allies in Latin America amid growing Chinese economic influence in the region.Beijing recently completed the Chancay deepwater port in Peru — a $1.3 billion mega-project that serves as China’s key logistics hub on the Pacific coast.Fujimori’s tough stance on organized crime also aligns with U.S.
efforts to expand regional security and anti-trafficking cooperation.BIDEN, XI TO MEET ON SATURDAY IN PERU, US OFFICIALS SAYSecretary of State Marco Rubio looks on during a ceremony at the U.S.embassy in New Delhi on May 23, 2026.
(Julia Demaree Nikhinson/AFP)Fujimori was declared the winner Monday by Peru’s National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE), the electoral authority responsible for reporting vote count results.The country’s final authority on election matters, the National Jury of Elections (JNE), has yet to issue its official proclamation, according to Reuters.According to the ONPE, Fujimori secured 50.1% of the vote, winning by f...