Keiko Fujimori inaugurated as Peru's president, marking a rightward turn

Keiko Fujimori, 51, was sworn in as Peru's first female president on 28 July 2026 after winning a narrow runoff with 50.13% of the vote against left‑wing candidate Roberto Sánchez (49.86%). Her victory ends a decade of political turbulence and puts the country on a right‑leaning trajectory.

Fujimori pledged to focus on security, expanding video‑surveillance, police presence and building new megaprison facilities, while also promising infrastructure, health and education reforms. She signalled alignment with U.S. President Donald Trump’s “Escudo de las Américas” anti‑crime initiative and highlighted Peru's strategic partnership with China, whose port of Chancay is a flagship project for Chinese trade.

Regional right‑wing leaders from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Ecuador and Paraguay are expected to attend the ceremony. A recent Ipsos poll showed 71% of Peruvians think she deserves a chance to prove her governing ability. The mayor of Puno, Javier Ponce Roque, urged the new administration to decentralise the national budget and invest more in the historically neglected region. The government also faces the looming threat of the El Niño weather phenomenon.