Less than eight months before the end of his term, the mayor of Arequipa, Victor Hugo Riveraleft his position this Wednesday, after receiving the resolution of the National Election Jury (JNE) which declares the vacancy request against him founded. In addition, its 45 managers and assistant managers resigned, leaving the provincial municipality at the disposal of the new authority.
The vacancy of the mayor comes from a long process of comings and goings between the Municipal Council and the JNE. It all started in May 2023, when it was reported in the media that the mayor’s security personnel also provided care and walking services for his pet ‘Flechita’ during working hours and within the municipality’s facilities.
JNE declares vacancy of the mayor of Arequipa due to improper use of public resources
In August of that year, a vacancy request submitted by citizen Claudia Orihuela was submitted to the provincial council, arguing that the mayor consented and accepted the hiring of Herbert Arenas as a service provider to provide care for her pet. On September 21, 2023, the mayor presented his defenses indicating that he did not participate in the hiring of staff and that the eventual work of caring for his pet was outside his work day. His job was security and surveillance.
On September 29, 2023, in an extraordinary session, the Provincial Council of Arequipa, by majority, declared the vacancy request inadmissible. The applicant filed an appeal before the JNE against the council’s agreement. On January 31, 2024, the JNE declared the agreement null and void and ordered that an extraordinary session be called again in 15 days and rule on the vacancy request.
Mayor of the province of Arequipa, Víctor Hugo Rivera. Photo: GEC
Insistence
In a second extraordinary session, on March 11, 2024, the Provincial Council of Arequipa (with 3 votes in favor and 12 against) again rejected the vacancy request. Citizen Claudia Orihuela presented another appeal on April 10, 2024. The JNE ruled on February 12, 2025, declaring the council agreement null and void and ordering that a new extraordinary session be called. In a third decision of the municipal council, on April 10, 2025, by majority, it declared the vacancy request inadmissible.
On May 19, 2025, the citizen filed another appeal against the council agreement and almost a year later, in a virtual public hearing on April 10, 2026, the JNE declared the appeal founded. This Wednesday, May 6, he notified Víctor Hugo Rivera of Resolution No. 0805-2026-JNE, where he declares the vacancy request filed against him founded for the reason of hiring restrictions.
In addition, he ordered that Councilor Ruccy Judith Oscco Polar take over as mayor. In the same way, he summoned Jherson Chipana Apaza to assume the position of councilor. Both are from the political organization Together for the Development of Arequipa, founded by Víctor Hugo Rivera.
Reactions
As soon as the notification arrived at the municipality, the mayor called a meeting of all his trusted officials to thank them for their work. The managers and assistant managers resigned one by one and left their positions and reports of their work at the party table. Víctor Hugo Rivera spoke only this Thursday morning.
“I am totally dissatisfied because there are not the three elements of judgment that they consider, but this is a political issue and a voting issue. We have immediately sent our lawyers so that we can take measures against this abuse. At no time have the irregularities been committed. We are going to file an action for protection and a precautionary measure before the Judiciary, because the sanction is not warranted,” declared the former mayor.
Regarding the massive resignation of its managers and assistant managers, the former authority indicated that its officials are in the designated positions with documents signed by the secretariat and mayor’s office and that as of today those documents are no longer valid. “If today a manager continues assuming duties, he would be usurping duties, because his appointment is only valid until yesterday at 11:55 at night,” he noted.
Víctor Hugo Rivera also clarified that, although the new mayor is from his political group, he does not have any type of approach or coordination with her.
What is left pending
Citizens’ concern is in the pending projects left by the outgoing mayor. From the municipality they indicated that there are more than 30 projects with an investment of approximately S/240 million, resources that came from the Municipal Fund. Most of them were destined for maintenance of the main roads of the city, such as Av. Independencia, Goyeneche and 28 de Julio. Two schools in the districts of Yanahuara and Mariano Melgar were also in the pipeline. These projects were in profile, some in the preparation of technical files and others in bidding.
Another delicate issue that remained pending is the approval of the Metropolitan Development Plan (PDM), which had around 1,800 observations and which were in the process of being compiled. It was also announced that the head of the Municipal Planning Institute (IMPLA), who works on the city’s territorial planning, also resigned.
In addition, the efforts of the Integrated Transport System (SIT), among others, remain pending.
Today the new mayor Ruccy Oscco Polar was sworn in and tomorrow she will announce her new team that will continue this management until December of this year.
