Peru: Leftist Candidate Takes the Lead in Presidential Debate

Following the first presidential debate in Peru on Monday, local outlets' polls place the left-wing candidate Veronika Mendoza first in the audience's positive opinions.

RELATED: 

Peru To Witness Debates Among 18 Presidential Candidates

Outlet La Republica polled 3,200 online users, 60.7 percent of whom said that the Together Peru candidate was the debate's winner.

Her closest rival was Alberto Beingolea from the Popular Christian Party, with 23.8 percent of positive opinions. The other four candidates did not reach more than 6 percent of preference.

America TV surveyed over 193,000 people, 34.2 percent of whom voted for Mendoza. She was followed by the National Victory candidate George Forsyth who gained almost 43,000 positive votes.

Another poll conducted by Latina Television coincided in placing Beingolea in second place right after Mendoza, who obtained 44 percent of favorable votes.

On Tuesday night, the second presidential debate will take place with candidates from parties Union for Peru, We Can Peru, Move Forward Peru, Free Peru, Nationalist Party, and Direct Democracy. 

The COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused over 51,635 deaths in the country, and corruption are the two red-hot topics to be most discussed among the candidates.