Conservative leader Keiko Fujimori was sworn in as Peru’s president on Tuesday, following a narrow victory in the June presidential runoff election. Her inauguration marks a shift in South America toward conservative leadership and comes as Peru navigates a period of significant political turbulence.
Fujimori, a four-time presidential candidate and the leader of Peru's largest political party, becomes the country's ninth president in a decade. She aims to stabilize Peru's volatile political landscape, reduce crime rates, and stimulate economic growth. Historically, only three of Peru's presidents in the last ten years have been elected by popular vote; the remainder assumed office due to predecessors' resignations or removals by Congress amidst protests or corruption scandals.
With her Popular Force party and its ally, Popular Renovation, set to control half of the Senate seats upon the new legislature's installation, Fujimori's administration may face fewer legislative obstacles to her presidency.
Security was a central theme of Fujimori's campaign, with promises to combat extortion rackets, a significant problem in the nation. She also pledged to streamline infrastructure development by easing partnerships between government agencies and private investors. Her proposed security measures include implementing policies similar to those of El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, potentially involving the construction of a large-scale prison.
Fujimori also announced plans to reorganize social services to address malnutrition in rural areas and a 15% increase in the national minimum wage. The military will temporarily lead security operations in crime-affected regions. Additionally, her administration will focus on preparing Peru for the onset of El Niño, a weather pattern known to cause flooding along the coast.
"My goal is not only to administer the state," Fujimori stated. "My main objective is to narrow the enormous social deficit that affects millions of Peruvians."
Opposition leaders have called on Fujimori's incoming government to repeal recent laws approved by the previous legislature. Critics argue these laws weaken the fight against organized crime by eliminating preventive arrests, preventing prosecutors from treating political parties involved in corruption like criminal groups, and making asset confiscation more difficult for police.
Furthermore, opposition figures are urging the new government to establish a commission to investigate the deaths of 50 civilians during anti-government protests in late 2022 and early 2023, which followed the removal of former President Pedro Castillo. Some opposition lawmakers protested outside the parliament during Fujimori's swearing-in ceremony, holding images of individuals killed during those protests.
Fujimori's victory was stronger in Lima and along the Pacific coast, while voters in the Andean highlands, with a larger Indigenous population, predominantly supported her left-wing rival, Roberto Sanchez. Sanchez challenged the election results due to alleged irregularities in vote counting at Peruvian consulates abroad, but his complaints were dismissed by electoral authorities.
Despite political friction, Peru maintains a relatively stable economy in Latin America, characterized by a central bank interest rate below 5% and a conservative approach to public spending. However, concerns persist about a widening gap in living standards between coastal regions and the Andean highlands.
Fujimori's election, alongside conservative victories in Colombia and Chile, reflects a broader regional trend toward right-leaning governments in South America, a notable contrast to the left-wing leadership that characterized the continent in previous decades. This conservative surge, evident in seven major presidential elections across Latin America in recent years, has been fueled by public concerns over crime, immigration, and economic stagnation.