By Paula Bayarte
Lima (EFE).- President-elect Keiko Fujimori will take office on Jul. 28, inheriting a nation split down the middle. One half holds high hopes for her administration, while the other remains deeply skeptical of her, her political identity, and the heavy legacy of her father, former President Alberto Fujimori (1990–2000).
Fujimori’s victory in her fourth presidential bid was narrow, secured by just 49,641 votes against leftist challenger Roberto Sánchez in the runoff. While she and Sánchez each garnered roughly 9 million votes, the regional breakdown reveals a sharp geographic divide.
Fujimori dominated in the capital, Lima, and among voters abroad, capturing about 65% of the vote. Conversely, Sánchez swept the Andean regions, particularly in the south, with support hovering around 80%, areas where the President-elect struggled to campaign due to the intense local opposition.
Political analyst Eduardo Dargent, a professor at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru (PUCP), explained to EFE that the election highlights a deeply fragmented country, one that is «highly critical of politics, disillusioned, and distrustful of its leaders.»
«Fujimorism is in an ambiguous position because it commands more support than other parties, yet simultaneously faces far greater distrust than other groups,» Dargent noted.
Following a campaign promise to govern with an «iron fist,» Fujimori recently stated that a primary challenge will be winning the trust of southern Peru.
This region bore the brunt of state repression during the anti-government protests of 2022 and 2023, following the ouster and imprisonment of President Pedro Castillo, which resulted in around 50 deaths.
It is also an area still grappling with the scars of the internal armed conflict between the state and subversive groups like the Shining Path and the Túpac Amaru Revolutionary Movement (MRTA).
A matter of outlook
It is expected that Fujimori will focus on protecting conservative gains through social policies centered on public infrastructure, a hallmark of her father’s administration. However, it remains to be seen whether she will surround herself with cabinet members from her party or appoint figures more open to dialogue.
«If we go by history, I don’t have much hope for openness. It is a party that, due to its tradition and recent actions, tends to view the world in black and white,» the analyst observed.
Dargent argues that Fujimori’s biggest hurdle is recognizing that her governing style, focused on «ordering the country», may incite further mistrust and conflict. «She is trapped in echo chambers and surrounded by those who validate her specific interpretation of Peru’s situation,» which he warns will be problematic.
Latent anti-Fujimorism
Amid the polarization, the anti-Fujimori sentiment that defined the end of her father’s decade-long rule, and which had previously blocked her path to power, could resurge.
Dargent points out that the leftist opposition fractured during Castillo’s government following his failed coup attempt in late 2022.
During the campaign, Fujimori invoked her father’s image, promising to combat rising crime just as he did. Her father was sentenced to 25 years in prison for crimes against humanity committed during the fight against the Shining Path and the MRTA, as well as for corruption scandals.
«It will be incredibly difficult for her to establish legitimacy,» Dargent concluded regarding the skepticism facing the President-elect as she finally takes the helm. EFE
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