Far-Right Candidate Rafael Lopez Aliaga Leads Peru's Fragmented Presidential Race

Peru's presidential election featured a record 35 candidates, with the far-right emerging as the favorite despite deep fragmentation.

“Lima, Peru – A record 35 candidates are vying for the presidency in Peru on Sunday”

Al Jazeera

Rafael Lopez Aliaga had been the frontrunner since August, running a campaign that embraced Trump-style rhetoric and policies.

Al Jazeera

Polls showed Lopez Aliaga falling to just 7 percent of voter intent, with Keiko Fujimori overtaking him by eight points.

More than 20 percent of voters remained undecided.

Peruvians' trust in the US government had plummeted to 48 percent, more than double the portion in 2019.

Lopez Aliaga threatened to deport Venezuelan migrants who did not have proper papers by July 28.

His stance resonated with many Peruvians desperate for security amid rising crime.

la diaria

He stood out for using insults to attack political opponents and journalists, mirroring Trump's style.

He faced legal challenges to his candidacy based on party internal-democracy rules.

The National Jury of Elections was set to decide on his eligibility.

Keiko Fujimori remained a central figure despite her fourth consecutive presidential bid.

“More than 30 presidential slates registered to compete on April 12 in Peru's elections”

la diaria

Polls placed her in second place with 8.8 percent.

Her platform bore no mention of Trump's ambitions in Latin America.

More than 40 percent of votes were expected not to go to any slate.

No candidate was expected to clear the 40 percent threshold needed to win outright.