Keiko Fujimori Elected as Peru’s President

Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori and leader of the conservative party Fuerza Popular, has been elected as Peru’s president. The National Jury of Elections certified her victory, as she received 9,223,396 votes, surpassing her rival Roberto Sánchez of Juntos por el Perú, who obtained 9,173,755 votes. Fujimori secured the presidency with a margin of approximately 50,000 votes, succeeding in her fourth attempt.

At 50 years old, Fujimori, a former first lady and ex-congresswoman, broke her losing streak by presenting herself as a candidate capable of restoring order. She invoked the memories of her father’s government in the 1990s, particularly the military actions against the terrorist group Shining Path.

“I decided to join this campaign because our country cannot endure more inexperienced leadership, as it lives in fear,” Fujimori stated during her campaign closing in Lima.

Her campaign was centered around combating crime with a firm approach, inspired by Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele’s model. She promised to construct a prison similar to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center and introduce masked judges, reminiscent of her father’s governance.

Peru faces increasing insecurity, with a fivefold rise in extortion cases and homicide numbers doubling over the past five years. Extortion impacts small business owners and public transportation routes. Alarmingly, 239 drivers were murdered due to extortion in 2025.

Fujimori also aimed to accelerate large mining projects by reducing bureaucratic hurdles, enticing investments and boosting employment. She promoted expanding irrigation to support agro-exportation along the arid Pacific coast.

Critics highlight the political turmoil Peru has experienced in the last decade, attributing it to Fujimori’s ambition. Her party, Fuerza Popular, was crucial in the resignation of former President Pedro Pablo Kuczynski (2016-2018) and in voting for the removal of his successors, including Martín Vizcarra (2018-2020), Pedro Castillo (2021-2022), and Dina Boluarte (2022-2025).

Fujimori protected Boluarte from seven removal attempts but eventually voted for her vacancy when public disapproval plummeted to 3%.

Keiko Fujimori pursued the presidency in 2011, 2016, and 2021. In each race, she advanced to the second round but lost to Ollanta Humala (2011-2016), Kuczynski, and Castillo respectively.

Entering politics at 19, Fujimori became first lady following her parents’ separation amid scandal. Her mother accused Alberto Fujimori of ordering military personnel to torture her.

Alberto Fujimori passed away in 2024, a year after being released from a 16-year prison sentence for corruption and the execution of 25 people by military forces during the fight against Shining Path from 1991 to 1992.

Keiko Fujimori announced her candidacy last year after the Constitutional Tribunal archived a money laundering investigation involving Brazil’s Odebrecht and other sources. The tribunal stated the charge lacked legal grounding as “receiving royal assets” was not criminalized prior to 2016 when the events allegedly occurred.