Lima: Peru’s public prosecutor’s office has accused leftist presidential candidate Roberto Sanchez of financial crimes, seeking a prison sentence of five years and four months, just as he appears set to advance to the country’s presidential run-off election.
The charges came only hours after electoral authorities confirmed that Sanchez was on track to secure a place in the June 7 presidential run-off. According to local newspaper reports, prosecutors allege that Sanchez, representing the Juntos por el Peru party, submitted false financial disclosures to Peru’s National Office of Electoral Processes regarding campaign contributions received between 2018 and 2020.
Investigators claim Sanchez and his brother, William Sanchez, received more than 280,000 Peruvian soles (around $81,720) in contributions and membership fees that were not declared in the party’s official financial reports.
Sanchez also faces accusations of making false statements during administrative proceedings. Prosecutors are additionally seeking a permanent ban preventing him from holding the office of president under the Juntos por el Perú party.
Sanchez’s lawyer has denied the allegations, arguing that responsibility for the party’s financial filings rested with the party treasurer rather than the candidate himself. Speaking to local outlet, the lawyer rejected claims that Sanchez had personally handled the disclosures.
A judge is expected to decide on May 27 whether the case will proceed to trial. The legal controversy comes amid a tightly contested presidential race in Peru. With 99.76 percent of ballots counted from last month’s first-round election, conservative candidate Keiko Fujimori led the race with 17.17 percent of the vote.
Fujimori, daughter of the late former President Alberto Fujimori and herself a four-time presidential contender, is expected to face Sanchez in the second round. Sanchez, who has received backing from jailed former President Pedro Castillo, secured 12 percent of the vote, narrowly edging past ultra-conservative former Lima Mayor Rafael Lopez Aliaga, who stood at 11.91 percent, a difference of roughly 15,000 votes. Peru’s final election results are expected to be announced by May 15.
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