Peru Faces Uncertain Future after Elections
After the general election on April 10, Peru is one step closer to having a new president. According to the National Office of Electoral Processes, Keiko Fujimori had a considerable lead with nearly 40 percent of votes, while her rival Pedro Kuczynski came in second, with just over 20 percent. Because no candidate surpassed the required 50 percent threshold required for victory, Fujimori must now face Kuczynski in a second, run-off election on June 5, 2016. Celebrating her victory, Fujimori proudly declared the vote as a sign of the people’s desire for reconciliation and the end of internal conflict. According to her official Twitter account, the election is one step closer to a “united, reconciled, and more just” Peru.
However, the general election was only the first step in a battle that will unfold over the next few months and culminate in June’s run-off election. Despite winning a plurality of the vote, Fujimori must still defeat Kucyznski, a centrist, to become the new president. As the race narrows down to two, candidates must broaden their appeal and attempt to win the support of the 40 percent of voters whose first choice was eliminated.
Going forward, one fundamental topic will shape the election: the continued effects of the legacy of Keiko’s father Alberto Fujimori. Fujimori’s father’s legacy has proven to be a double-edged sword, receiving both supporters and critics due to the ideology known as Fujimorismo.
Despite continued efforts to distance herself from this legacy, she still falls under his shadow. Consequently, Fujimori has garnered a significant amount of opposition amid fear that her tactics could destabilize democracy. On April 5, protests spread across Lima that opposed Fujimori’s potential election and Fujimorismo’s presumed implications.
In the face of opposition, Fujimori has continuously sought to deviate from her father’s polarizing beliefs while highlighting her strengths: consistent support for free trade, strength in the face of terrorism, and political and economic stability. Fujimori recently pledged to respect human rights and various freedoms in an attempt to signal her deviation from authoritarianism.
On the other hand, Kucyznski’s campaign could take advantage of the growing sentiments against Fujimorismo heading into June. According to Ipsos’ opinion polling data, nearly 45 percent of respondents reported a definitive decision to not vote for Fujimori.
Moreover, in a hypothetical run-off between Fujimori and Kucyznski at the time of polling, data suggested a slight edge in Kucyznski’s favor. Thus, there is a potential for Kucyznski to garner widespread support by clinching the anti-Fujimori vote. In fact, according to political analyst Luis Benavente in El Comercio, “the electors of [presidential candidates] Mendoza, Barnechea” and some others will gravitate toward Kucyznski “in an almost natural way.”
In the eyes of many Peruvians, the election comes at a pivotal moment in Peru’s history. It is a moment in which the people must choose between the stability of Fujimori and the unquestioned democratic principles of Kucyznski. These democratic principles are presumed to be at risk under Fujimorismo.