Peruvian socialist Pedro Castillo and right-wing opponent Keiko Fujimori are neck-and-neck in the polls just one week ahead of the Andean copper-producing country's polarized presidential election on June 6.

Peru election race tightens a week before polarized vote

Some 25 million Peruvians are set to turn out Sunday to vote for a new president amid the country's deadliest week of the coronavirus pandemic and a surge in new infections.

Peru votes amid deadly coronavirus surge

Hundreds of agricultural workers were maintaining a blockade of the key Pan-American Highway in the north of Peru to protest against the death of three people in clashes with police.

Peru farm workers maintain road block after deaths

As the number of coronavirus cases in Latin America crossed 1.5 million, Brazil on Thursday reported 40,000 total deaths due to COVID-19 and 800,000 cases. Also Read: Several US states report spike in coronavirus cases as stocks plunge The death toll in Brazil due to the virus stood at 40,900 which is the third higest in the world.

COVID-19: Death toll in Brazil crosses 40,000; Peru reports deaths of 170 cops

More than 70,000 people have died from coronavirus in Latin America as the pandemic sweeps through the region, putting growing pressure on an already stretched healthcare system.

Latin America reports 70,000 coronavirus deaths