Fragmentation is reflected in the existence of 18 candidates and, according to the latest private polls published by international media, those who will qualify for the second round will win 10-20 percent of votes, so they will not have a parliamentary majority.

Most votes will be shared among six runners who lead the surveys with small percentages in the polls.

The group that is likely to win the first round includes the left-wing candidates Veronika Mendoza and Pedro Castillo, populist Yoni Lescano and neoliberal Keiko Fujimori, Hernando de Soto and Rafael Lopez Aliaga.

The surprise in the final lap of the race is Castillo, who was out of the media’s interest and due to reasons yet to be explained is included in the main group by the surveys.

jg/rc/mrs