By Marco Aquino
LIMA (Reuters) -Peru’s electoral authority said it would name socialist Pedro Castillo as the country’s next president on Monday, calling him “president elect” in a statement sent to reporters announcing the ceremony would take place at 7 p.m. (2400 GMT).
Right-wing presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori admitted she was headed for defeat, but pledged to mobilize her supporters and lashed out against Castillo as having won in an “illegitimate” manner.
Castillo came out of the June 6 run-off vote ahead by a scant 44,000 vote margin. The official result has been delayed by appeals from Fujimori aimed at annulling some ballots over fraud accusations, despite little evidence.
Fujimori said she was bound by law to recognize the official election result, expected to be announced in the days ahead.
“I am going to recognize the results because it is what the law and the constitution that I have sworn to defend, mandates. The truth is going to come out anyway,” she told reporters.
(Reporting by Marco Aquino; Writing by Hugh Bronstein and Adam Jourdan; Editing by Rosalba O’Brien and Sandra Maler)
