Peru's Pivotal Vote: A Nation Seeks Stability Amid Record Candidate Field and Surging Crime

By Marco Aquino and Lucinda Elliott

LIMA, April 9 (Reuters) – Peru stands at a crossroads. On April 12, voters will navigate a record-long ballot paper and a fractured political landscape in a high-stakes attempt to end a decade of relentless instability that has seen no president serve a full term.

Nearly 27 million citizens are eligible to choose a new president and a reinstated bicameral Congress. The sheer scale of choice is palpable on Lima's streets, where posters for 35 presidential hopefuls create a visual cacophony. The logistical challenge is equally immense: the half-meter-long ballot, the longest in Peruvian history, will be counted after polls close at 5 p.m. local time.

"This isn't an election; it's a labyrinth," said Marlene Jimenez, a shopkeeper in the bustling district of Surco. "The ballot is overwhelming. We're tired of the chaos, but who can truly lead us out?"

Polls indicate a razor-thin lead for right-wing figure Keiko Fujimori, daughter of the imprisoned former leader Alberto Fujimori. She is trailed by a tight pack including Lima's former mayors—ultra-conservative Rafael Lopez Aliaga and media mogul Ricardo Belmont—and political outsider Carlos Alvarez, a former comedian. With no candidate polling above 15%, a June 7 runoff is all but assured.

"The race remains fluid," noted Urpi Torrado of Datum Internacional. "A significant bloc of undecided voters, around 13%, could still reshape the final lineup."

This fragmentation mirrors a profound institutional crisis. Since 2018, Peru has cycled through eight presidents, with leaders impeached, jailed, or ousted. "This election could either break the cycle or deepen our paralysis," warned political analyst Fernando Tuesta.

While corruption remains a potent issue—four former presidents are currently behind bars, mostly linked to the Odebrecht scandal—it has been eclipsed by a more immediate fear: violent crime. Homicide and extortion rates have hit record highs, devastating small businesses and transport sectors.

"Peru was never a hotspot for organized crime like its neighbors, but that has changed dramatically," explained Paula Munoz, a political science professor at Universidad del Pacifico. "This fear is driving a populist, hardline shift in the electorate, reminiscent of trends across Latin America."

In response, several candidates have proposed drastic measures: deploying the military against crime, reinstating the death penalty, and reviving the controversial "faceless judges" system—where magistrates in criminal cases remain anonymous—a practice abandoned in 1997.

Reporting by Marco Aquino, Lucinda Elliott and Reuters TV; Editing by Cassandra Garrison and Janane Venkatraman

Voices from the Public

Carlos Mendez, 52, School Teacher (Lima): "The 'faceless judges' proposal worries me. It speaks to desperation, not justice. We need transparency to rebuild trust, not a return to opaque systems from the past."

Ana Sofia Gutierrez, 34, Small Business Owner (Arequipa): "Every week, I hear about another shop owner paying 'protection' money. Crime is suffocating us. I don't care about political labels anymore; I'll vote for whoever presents the clearest, toughest plan to make our streets safe."

Miguel Rojas, 41, Taxi Driver (Callao): [Emotionally] "Thirty-five candidates? It's a joke! They're all the same—promising until they get power. Look at our history! We're not voting for a president; we're choosing the next person to disappoint or disgrace us. The whole system is rotten."

Lucia Fernandez, 29, NGO Worker (Cusco): "The focus on crime, while understandable, risks letting corruption off the hook. They are two sides of the same coin—symptoms of a weak state. We must demand leaders who address both with institutional reforms, not just populist slogans."