JNE strips Rafael López Aliaga of Senate seat, appoints Absalón Vásquez

Peru’s Jurado Nacional de Elecciones (JNE) voted by majority to annul the credential of Rafael López Aliaga for the Senate term 2026‑2031 after the elected candidate publicly refused to be sworn in and announced his intention to run for a municipal office in Lima. The electoral tribunal applied a systematic interpretation of the Constitution and congressional regulations, noting that while Article 95 declares a legislative mandate irrevocable, the mandate is not considered configured until the elected candidate completes the incorporation process. Consequently, the JNE determined that López Aliaga’s refusal did not constitute a resignation but left the mandate incomplete. The JNE then invoked the preferential order of the Renovación Popular list, calling Absalón Vásquez Villanueva, the next candidate, to assume the senatorial seat. The resolution emphasized that the decision does not set a precedent for renouncing a parliamentary mandate and clarified the legal distinction between proclamation, incorporation, and the exercise of parliamentary functions.