Peruvians choosing a president from 35-candidate pool in Sunday’s election
LIMA, Peru — A diverse group of candidates, including a former minister, a comedian, and a political heiress, are vying for the position of Peru’s ninth president in just 10 years.
The upcoming election is being held against a backdrop of rising violent crime and corruption, which has fueled widespread dissatisfaction among voters. Many citizens perceive the candidates as lacking honesty and preparedness for the role of president. In response to public concerns about crime, several candidates have put forth various proposals, such as constructing large prisons, imposing restrictions on prisoners’ food, and advocating for the reinstatement of the death penalty for serious offenses.
The election, scheduled for Sunday, will see mandatory voting for Peruvians aged 18 to 70. With over 27 million registered voters, approximately 1.2 million are expected to cast their votes from abroad, particularly in countries like the United States and Argentina.
To secure victory, a candidate must receive more than 50% of the votes. However, a runoff in June is highly likely due to the deeply divided electorate and the extensive candidate pool, which is the largest in the history of Peru.
One of the main concerns among voters is the surge in criminal activities, leading to frequent demonstrations. Official data shows that homicides have doubled and extortion cases have increased fivefold in the past decade.
Thirty-five candidates are contesting in the election, including Keiko Fujimori, a conservative former congresswoman and the daughter of the late President Alberto Fujimori. This marks her fourth attempt at the presidency.
Keiko Fujimori has pledged to take a tough stance on crime, but her support for laws that experts believe hinder criminal prosecution has raised concerns. If elected, she plans to introduce measures such as anonymous judges in criminal cases and requiring prisoners to work for their meals.
Another candidate, Rafael López Aliaga, a conservative former mayor of Lima, has proposed innovative ideas such as establishing prisons in the Amazon region, allowing judges to conceal their identities, and deporting illegal immigrants from Peru.
In a surprising move, comedian-turned-politician Carlos Álvarez has promised to seek advice from the leaders of El Salvador, Denmark, and Singapore on security matters to gain support.
Apart from electing a new president, Peruvians will also select a bicameral Congress for the first time in over three decades. Recent legislative reforms will concentrate significant power in the new upper chamber, preventing the president from dissolving the Senate, although the Senate can impeach a sitting president.
Under the revamped bicameral system, the process of impeaching the president has been streamlined, requiring only 40 out of 60 senators to approve it. This change aims to address the issue of frequent presidential turnovers that have occurred in Peru over the past ten years.
Despite 80% of voters rejecting the bicameral system in a 2018 referendum, lawmakers amended the Constitution in 2024 to reintroduce it. Critics like Alejandro Boyco, a researcher at the Institute of Peruvian Studies, warn that concentrating power in a small group of individuals could lead to corruption within the Senate.
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Garcia Cano reported from Caracas, Venezuela.
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