Lucinda Elliott

Keiko Fujimori was sworn in as Peru's president on Tuesday, becoming the latest in a string of conservative leaders elected ‌across Latin America by voters frustrated by crime, weak economic growth and political instability.

Keiko Fujimori’s victory in her fourth bid for Peru's presidency returns a polarizing political dynasty to ​power, reviving deep divisions that have long split the South American country.

Left-wing congressman Roberto Sanchez is striking a more pragmatic tone ahead of Peru’s June 7 presidential runoff ​against conservative frontrunner Keiko Fujimori, after earlier plans to overhaul the mining sector rattled investors.

Japan and the ​South American trade bloc Mercosur have started ‌talks about an economic partnership agreement, two Brazilian officials with knowledge of the negotiations told Reuters.

Heading to her fourth straight Peruvian presidential runoff, Keiko Fujimori is betting that voter fears over spiraling crime will revive support for a brand of leadership closely associated with her father, who dominated the country's politics in the 1990s.

Roberto Sanchez, a left-wing congressman whose plans to overhaul the mining sector have sparked investor concerns, ​will face conservative frontrunner Keiko Fujimori in Peru's June 7 presidential runoff.

Peru's ​leftist presidential candidate Roberto Sanchez will face Keiko Fujimori in the June runoff after narrowly securing second place ‌in April's first‑round vote, official results showed Friday, with all votes tallied.

MercadoLibre could sell parts of its fast-growing loan book ​to support its fintech business, its chief executive told Reuters, adding that operations in Venezuela remain small ‌and unchanged, as investors weigh credit risk ahead of first-quarter earnings.

Police raided the home of Peru's former chief electoral official on Friday as part of a ​new probe into alleged electoral irregularities, after he resigned this week over delays in counting ‌votes from the April 12 general election.

Peru's government made a $462 million payment on Wednesday for U.S. ‌F-16 fighter jets, the first installment in a multi-billion-dollar deal that triggered the resignation of two top ministers earlier in the day.

Peruvian markets have reacted nervously as left-wing congressman Roberto Sanchez gains ground in a tight presidential race, reigniting investor concerns rooted ​in the country's last experiment with anti-establishment politics.

Frustration ​mounted in Peru on Tuesday as the vote count in a general election stretched into a third day, prompting congressional ‌scrutiny and fresh fraud allegations, even as the runoff presidential candidate set to face conservative Keiko Fujimori remained unclear.

Polling station delays and early uncertainty over the runoff contenders marked Peru’s general election on Sunday, as voters chose a new president and Congress ‌from a fragmented field of more than 30 candidates.

Peruvians head to the polls on April 12, hoping to break a cycle of ​political turmoil that has prevented any president from completing a full term over the past decade, amid corruption scandals, ‌rising crime and voter frustration.

Canada and South America’s Mercosur bloc are advancing towards ​a free-trade agreement that could be signed by the end of the year, with more negotiations scheduled for next month in Brasilia, ‌according to three sources familiar with the talks.

Paraguay is Taiwan’s last diplomatic ally in South America. China's attempt to supplant Taipei would be a symbolic win and a step in its attempt to cement influence in Latin America as the U.S. aims to be the pre-eminent superpower.

Peru’s revolving-door presidency turned again this week, ushering out the country's seventh leader in less than a decade, but the political churn has produced little market turbulence as investors seem unfazed by the spin.

Jose Balcazar, a left‑wing lawmaker who has faced backlash over comments about child marriage, became Peru’s new leader after Congress elected him to serve as interim president following the removal of Jose Jeri.

Peruvian lawmakers elected Jose Balcazar as the country's new interim president on Wednesday ahead of general elections in April, making him the country's eighth president in as many years.

After just four months in office, Jose Jeri joined Peru's long list of ousted presidents on Tuesday, becoming the third consecutive leader to be removed from office by Congress in the Andean nation.