{"text":[[{"start":8.1,"text":"The head of Peru’s election authority has resigned as results of the nation’s first-round presidential contest are still unclear nine days after the vote, sending the country into a deepening political crisis. "}],[{"start":20.549999999999997,"text":"Piero Corvetto, the head of the National Office of Electoral Processes, announced his resignation in a letter published on X on Tuesday as votes were still being tallied from the election on April 12. "}],[{"start":32.5,"text":"The poll had been thrown into chaos before counting even began. Electoral authorities were forced to extend voting by a day for about 63,000 people in the capital of Lima who were initially prevented from voting when several polling stations opened late. Officials said the delay was due to a private contractor failing to deliver ballots on time."}],[{"start":54.3,"text":"“As a public servant, it is not enough to act in accordance with the law in fulfilling a public function; the most important thing is that, in whatever role one holds, one can contribute to democratic stability and to a better future for one’s country,” Corvetto wrote in his resignation letter. “And, under the current circumstances, I do not find myself in a position to offer that to my nation.”"}],[{"start":77.44999999999999,"text":"On Tuesday there was still about 6 per cent of the vote left to be counted, with thousands under review by election authorities after being flagged for errors and irregularities. "}],[{"start":88.04999999999998,"text":"Keiko Fujimori, the rightwing scion of a political dynasty, is set to advance to a June run-off with a 17 per cent share of the vote."}],[{"start":97.59999999999998,"text":"Fujimori’s late father, Alberto Fujimori, tamed hyperinflation and oversaw rapid economic growth during his 1990-2000 tenure, in which he also dramatically weakened the Shining Path, a leftist insurgency."}],[{"start":113.54999999999998,"text":"It is unclear who Fujimori, a major figure in Peruvian politics in her own right and a longtime lawmaker, will face in the run-off, with about 6,000 separating the conservative populist ex-mayor of Lima, Rafael López-Aliaga, and leftwing former lawmaker Roberto Sánchez."}],[{"start":130.54999999999998,"text":"López-Aliaga has publicly questioned election proceedings, particularly in the Cajamarca region, where Sánchez’s support was strong. The former mayor has called for a new election for those who could not vote on April 12."}],[{"start":144.64999999999998,"text":"Voting is mandatory in Peru, and this year’s field of candidates was the most crowded in the country’s modern history, with 34 hopefuls competing on a ballot sheet that was nearly half a metre long."}],[{"start":155.29999999999998,"text":"The election chaos comes amid wider political turmoil in Peru, a major copper producer that has had nine presidents in the past decade. "}],[{"start":163.24999999999997,"text":"In the country’s previous election in 2021, radical leftist Pedro Castillo beat Fujimori in a second round. A little over a year into Castillo’s tenure, he was impeached and arrested after attempting to close congress and rule by decree. "}],[{"start":177.04999999999998,"text":"Castillo’s successor, Dina Boluarte, was ousted in October last year and replaced by millennial lawmaker José Jeri, who was removed in February. Four of Peru’s former presidents, including Castillo, are behind bars."}],[{"start":192.49999999999997,"text":"Amid the churn, crime has exploded in Peru, with the murder rate doubling this decade, while cases of extortion have increased fivefold. Bus drivers, often the targets of organised crime, have staged several strikes in recent years."}],[{"start":207.74999999999997,"text":"Despite the turmoil, Peru, with a population of 34mn, has maintained a stable currency and posted estimated GDP growth of 3.4 per cent last year."}],[{"start":225.89999999999998,"text":""}]],"url":"https://audio.ftcn.net.cn/album/a_1776824343_6980.mp3"}