Peru's overseas remittances spark voting rights controversy

Peru has received a record US$22 billion in remittances over the last five years, reaching US$4.9 billion in 2024 and representing about 1.6 % of the country's GDP. The United States is the main source of these funds, which support millions of households and have helped lower poverty rates. The Peruvian diaspora has grown to roughly 3.7 million people, about 10 % of the national population, with around 1.2 million registered to vote from abroad.

A virtual deputy of the Juntos por el Perú party, Amalia Palomino, recently argued on radio that Peruvians who have lived abroad for more than ten years should not be allowed to vote, claiming they do not understand domestic issues. The party is seeking to annul overseas ballots, a stance that clashes with recent reforms that created a dedicated electoral constituency for Peruvians abroad in 2020 and highlighted the potential decisive impact of expatriate votes in recent elections.