Polls opened in Peru on Sunday for presidential and legislative elections, with crime and political instability dominating a crowded race to select the country’s ninth leader in a decade.
Around 27 million Peruvians are required to vote, with candidates spanning a wide spectrum including a comedian, a media mogul, a former mayor and a political figure linked to a past authoritarian-era legacy.
The ballot paper is unusually large, stretching nearly half a metre due to the high number of contenders.
Conservative candidates have led pre-election polling, raising the possibility that Peru could join a wider regional shift towards right-wing governments across Latin America.
Front-runners have made tough-on-crime pledges, including expanded military involvement in prisons, migrant expulsions and stricter border control measures.
One leading candidate, Keiko Fujimori, told AFP she would “restore order” within her first 100 days in office, including deploying the army in prisons and tightening immigration enforcement.
Peru has seen a sharp rise in violent crime, with homicide rates more than doubling in the past decade and extortion cases increasing more than eightfold.
Despite this, many voters expressed frustration with the political establishment, which has been plagued by repeated scandals and the removal of several presidents in recent years.
“I wouldn’t vote for anyone. I’m so disappointed with everyone in power,” said Maria Fernandez, a 56-year-old trader.
Pre-election surveys indicate no candidate is likely to secure the 50 per cent threshold needed to win outright, making a June runoff highly probable.
Fujimori, making her fourth presidential bid, has also emphasised cooperation with conservative governments across the region and proposed stronger military involvement in internal security.
She is the daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, who died in 2024 after serving prison time for crimes against humanity and corruption.
Her main rivals include former Lima mayor Ricardo Belmont, comedian Carlos Alvarez, and ex-mayor Rafael Lopez Aliaga, all competing in a fragmented field.
Analysts say the election highlights a growing disconnect between voters and political elites amid persistent insecurity and institutional instability.
Voting began at 7:00 am local time and is scheduled to close at 5:00 pm.