Keiko Fujimori has been sworn in as Peru’s first elected female president. She has pledged a tough crackdown on crime and announced that the military will temporarily lead security operations in areas placed under a state of emergency.
Speaking during her inauguration in Lima, Fujimori said the armed forces would take the lead in restoring order in communities affected by rising violence until security is re-established. Peru is facing its worst security crisis in decades, driven by expanding criminal gangs linked to contract killings and extortion.
Fujimori, 51, narrowly defeated left-wing rival Roberto Sánchez in June, securing the presidency on her fourth attempt. She takes office as Peru’s 10th president in the past decade, following years of political instability in which no leader completed a full five-year term.
In her inaugural address, Fujimori described Peru as being in a “catastrophic” condition but said the country has enormous potential. She also pledged to increase the minimum wage and strengthen protections against the impacts of the El Niño weather phenomenon.
Her inauguration was met with protests in the capital, where demonstrators gathered to denounce her presidency and demand justice for victims of state violence, including those affected during the rule of her late father, former President Alberto Fujimori. Alberto Fujimori was imprisoned for corruption and human rights abuses related to his government’s campaign against left-wing insurgents in the 1990s.
