European Union election observers have begun deploying across Peru ahead of the country’s presidential run-off on 7 June, with more than 150 monitors due to be in place on polling day.
The mission arrived in Peru at the end of February with an initial group of 10 experts based in Lima and will stay until the electoral process is completed, the European External Action Service (EEAS) informed on Tuesday.
It said 50 long-term observers were being sent to all regions of the country, and that they include nationals of EU member states as well as Canada and Norway.
A further 50 short-term observers are due to join before election day, alongside a delegation of Members of the European Parliament and observers from EU member state and partner-country embassies.
Deputy Chief Observer Alexander Gray said the EU mission was invited by the Peruvian government and the country’s electoral authorities.
“The Mission is not in Peru to interfere in the process, but to observe and recommend where improvements can be made,” he said.
Preliminary findings due on 9 June
Gray said he hoped citizens would be able to choose “freely and without interference” between the two candidates in the second round, referring to voting held on 12 April.
The mission said it would monitor the electoral process from registration through to the publication of final results, including the handling of any petitions and an analysis of the role of media and social networks in the campaign.
Its preliminary findings are due to be presented at a press conference in Lima on 9 June, with a final report to follow after the entire process is completed.
