Peruvian socialist presidential candidate Pedro Castillo has slipped further in public opinion polls, setting up what appears to be a dead heat against right-wing Keiko Fujimori before Monday's run-off election.
Peruvian leftist presidential candidate for Peru Libre party Pedro Castillo delivers a speech to supporters from a balcony at his campaign headquarters during his closing rally in Lima. Photo: AFP
In a poll by Ipsos seen by Reuters, Castillo led by 0.9 percentage point, while a poll by CPI, also seen by Reuters, had Fujimori ahead by 0.2 percentage point, the first time the right-wing candidate has led her leftist rival.
The highly-polarised election pits Fujimori, the daughter of jailed ex-President Alberto Fujimori, against Castillo, a little-known elementary school teacher and union leader who has campaigned on a socialist platform.
Peruvian presidential candidate, right-winger Keiko Fujimori. Photo: AFP
Polls have shown Fujimori catching up to the current statistical tie with Castillo, who has been the favorite since the first round vote in April.
The Ipsos poll had a 2.8 percent error margin while the CPI poll had a 2.5 percent error margin.
It is illegal within Peru to publish polls during the last week before a presidential election, although those surveys can still be carried out as long as local media do not publish them.
-Reuters
