THE WHITE HOUSE
Office of the Press Secretary
STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT
I deeply regret the decision by the Peruvian electoral authorities to proceed with the elections this coming Sunday in spite of the well-documented concerns of the OAS observer mission. Even a relatively brief delay would give the OAS mission an opportunity to monitor the electoral process with greater confidence.
As things stand, the OAS mission will not monitor Sunday's vote. I believe that is the correct decision under the circumstances.
Free, fair, and open elections are the foundation of a democratic society. Without them, our relationship with Peru inevitably will be affected.
We are consulting with our partners in the hemisphere and the international community to determine appropriate next steps.
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