Leftist candidate Pedro Castillo leading Peruvian elections: first official count

Pedro Castillo of Peru Libre party looks on after casting his vote, outside a polling station in Cajamarca, Peru April 11, 2021. Vidal Tarqui/ANDINA/Handout via REUTERS

Leftist candidate Pedro Castillo is leading in the Peruvian presidential election with 15.8% of votes, according to a first official release of results with 11.4% of votes counted.

Castillo was followed by liberal economist Hernando de Soto with 14.48% of the vote, followed by ultra-right candidate Rafael Lopez Aliaga with 13.13% and Keiko Fujimori with 12.19% of the vote, electoral officials said in a live broadcast.

Pedro Castillo of Peru Libre party waves to the media after casting his vote, outside a polling station in Cajamarca, Peru April 11, 2021. Vidal Tarqui/ANDINA/Handout via REUTERS

(Reporting by Aislinn Laing; Editing by Himani Sarkar)

Pedro Castillo of Peru Libre party signs to cast his vote at a polling station in Cajamarca, Peru April 11, 2021. Vidal Tarqui/ANDINA/Handout via REUTERS