Peruvian president urges calm voting as general elections begin

Peruvian President Jose Balcazar on Sunday urged citizens to vote with "calm and serenity" as the country holds general elections to choose a new president and members of a bicameral Congress. Balcazar said broad participation is key to strengthening democracy and ensuring legitimacy for elected authorities amid political instability in recent years.

He added that sufficient guarantees are in place to ensure a transparent process, citing the deployment of armed forces and police, as well as the presence of international observers.