New Peru president to be announced July 20: electoral body

Peru's electoral tribunal announced on Tuesday that it will proclaim on July 20 a winner from last month's presidential election.

"We hope that by Tuesday of next week we will have the general act of proclamation already agreed," said Alexandra Marallano, advisor to the presidency of the National Elections Jury (JNE).

Presumably Peruvians will finally know the results of the June 6 runoff between leftist Pedro Castillo and right-wing populist Keiko Fujimori.

That announcement will come just eight days before the new leader is due to be sworn in to replace interim President Francisco Sagasti.

"There will be a resolution to close the electoral process that determines who the winners are and the composition of the new government," added Marallano, cited by the Andina state news agency.

Castillo received 50.12 percent of the ballots cast -- some 44,000 more than Fujimori -- but the daughter of disgraced and jailed former president Alberto Fujimori challenged the results and cried fraud.

Election jury officials have been examining disputed ballots.

She has a lot to lose if she is not elected as she faces a corruption trial if unsuccessful and fails to gain the legal protection election would afford her.

She has already intimated that she "will not accept" any JNE decision that goes against her.

Fujimori's backers have called for new elections to be held, while she has urged Sagasti to seek an international audit of the vote.

Hundreds of supporters of both candidates in the polarizing election have set up camp in the Peruvian capital to "defend" their votes.

The JNE originally said it would announce the new government on July 15 but that was delayed by the resignation of one of the tribunal's four judges.

The United States, European Union and Organization of American States have said the election was free and fair.