Jul 19, 2021 - World

Socialist Pedro Castillo named Peru's president-elect

Rebecca Falconer

Pedro Castillo, Leftist candidate to the presidency of Peru by Peru Libre party, gives a press conference in Peru on July 15. — Peru's President-elect Pedro Castillo at a July 15 news conference. Photo: Carlos Garcia Granthon/Fotoholica Press/LightRocket via Getty Images

Peru's electoral authority declared socialist Pedro Castillo "president-elect" Monday night after he won the country's presidential election, per Reuters.

Driving the news: The 51-year-old son of peasant farmers narrowly beat the daughter of a conservative former president known for being part of the country's elite, the New York Times reports.

After he was declared the next president, Castillo supporters took to the streets chanting, "Yes, we could," the NYT notes.

The big picture: The pandemic has devastated Peru, which has the worst COVID-19 death rate per capita, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Almost 10% of Peru's population has slipped into poverty in the past year and many wanting disparities addressed turned at the ballot box to Castillo, who was previously one of the leaders of a 2017 teachers strike, according to the Times.

What to watch: Castillo has promised to rewrite the constitution and give the state a bigger role in industries like mining, per Axios' Dave Lawler.

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Socialist Pedro Castillo named Peru's president-elect

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