Entering the last quarter of the year will be difficult for the government of Keiko Fujimori. Indeed, the week that passed began with the decline in presidential popularity in the polls, continued with Rafael Rey as his first casualty in the Cabinet and ended with the shocking murder of Susy Aponte Polo, candidate for the Regional Government of Ancash.
Regarding the first, according to Ipsos figures, the deterioration in public opinion of the Fujimori administration is the most marked negative evolution, at least since 2001: minus 15 percentage points, from 57% to 42% (“Perú 21”, 9/18/2026). In the disaggregation by regional blocks or socioeconomic level (NSE), it is confirmed that Fujimori only has majority approval in Lima (53%) and in the sparsely populated NSE A (59%) and B (54%).
Regarding the replacement in the Cabinet, and this when not even two months have been completed, it was striking that the first loss corresponded to a politician with a long history and as much closeness as Rafael Rey. Although his successor was sworn in the next day and is someone who was already part of the Executive, it was, although brief, a ministerial crisis in the full sense of the term: an exit that altered the regular functioning of the Cabinet. A positive point, in any case, is that the replacement seems to have deactivated, at least for now, other sectoral fronts that also generated rumors of changes.
Finally, the murder of Aponte Polo has been a shocking event against a person who, in addition to his political activity, played a role in the always turbulent regional media scene. The attack, committed in broad daylight and in a fairly crowded area, would also project an encrypted message in a region where, as Daniel Encinas recalls, crime “and its impact on politics is not something new” (X, 9/23/2026).
Regarding the management of the Executive, this crime reiterates evidence of widely exceeded capabilities, just as has been happening with crime in Trujillo. Despite the change in the leadership of the National Police, the order that the government promised during the campaign seems distant. It is a short period for a severe judgment, certainly. However, the events are beginning to be unmanageable for the sector authorities.
In this framework, the government enters the last quarter of the year. A period that, depending on how it is managed, could generate some relief for the Executive. Three events completely unrelated to his management may give him some air: the subnational elections (10/4), the visit of Pope Leo XIV (11/11-16/11) and the approval of the budget for 2027 (deadline: 11/30).
However, and almost in parallel, the pressure to manage El Niño will increase. So far, its possible intensity seems to justify the alarms. Tremendous challenge.
*El Comercio opens its pages to the exchange of ideas and reflections. In this plural framework, the Diario does not necessarily agree with the opinions of the columnists who sign them, although it always respects them.
