The results of yesterday’s elections leave several lessons. Firstly, the strength of Popular Renewal (RP) in Metropolitan Lima and Callao is indisputable. According to Datum Internacional’s quick count for América TV, former mayor Rafael López Aliaga, from RP, who ran as first councilor, would have obtained first place in the preferences in the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima (MML) with 27.6% of the votes, above the 26.7% of his closest competitor, Francis Allison, from Avanza País. In Callao, Pedro Spadaro and César Pérez, also from RP, swept the elections for the regional governor and the province, respectively. RP would have also placed several district mayors in Lima and Callao.
Regardless of whether López Aliaga’s victory is confirmed or not, the capital is consolidating itself as a bloc aligned with the political right. Including Carlos Bruce, from Somos Perú, who came third in the MML race, the first three candidates shared different spaces on the right-wing political spectrum and would have accumulated three out of every four valid votes between them in Lima. The results of the general elections last April and the second presidential round in June already anticipated that, in Lima, the candidates closest to the left – with proposals contrary to private investment – do not usually do well.
The electoral process, however, is inevitably tainted by the irresponsibility of the National Elections Jury (JNE) for not clarifying its position on the figure of covert re-election in time. The trick has been widely used by authorities elected for the period 2022-2026 and who were not authorized to run again for the same constituency in this cycle. This is a ruse in obvious violation of the spirit of the 2015 constitutional reform.
However, despite repeated consultations from citizens and various political parties, the JNE remained shamefully silent on the matter. This allowed several – including López Aliaga – to initially camouflage themselves under the figure of first councilor and, after the resignation of the mayoral candidate, take leadership in the final months of the campaign. Although the law still allows the JNE to interpret the norm, politically it is too late to correct its error. Citizens who yesterday endorsed their vote in favor of an authority seeking re-election would understandably feel cheated if this candidate is now stripped of the possibility of taking office. If that was the way, the JNE should have done it before. And they knew it too. Ultimately, this was a decision in favor of certain candidates, but, in this case, camouflaged as a delay in deciding.
Finally, the results in certain regions are cause for concern. This is the case, for example, of Cusco, where Verónika Mendoza, leftist candidate with Venceremos, would be close to ensuring her victory in the regional government without the need for a second round. If confirmed, his agenda would seriously jeopardize the advancement of sectors, such as mining, gas and tourism, essential drivers for his region and the country.
In Puno, Jhomar Tonconi, from the ASI-Juntos por el Perú alliance, could also win in the first round. Tonconi, part of an alliance with Roberto Sánchez, faced accusations of corruption and now has another trial for alleged money laundering. In La Libertad, Aldo Carlos Mariños, former mayor of Pataz, from Somos Perú, would go to the second round. As revealed by this newspaper two weeks ago, he is an active defender of the informal miners’ marches and has on his list, as number one of advisors, a miner with two current registrations in the Comprehensive Mining Formalization Registry (Reinfo).
In the subnational elections – we mentioned it yesterday in these pages – management teams are defined that, in a decentralized manner, will be mainly responsible for closing gaps in health, education, transportation and several key aspects for the quality of citizen life. But, at the same time –especially in the case of regional governments–, they are also a political showcase for the national electoral process that will come in 2031. The institutions responsible for safeguarding the rule of law, the good use of resources and social peace must be especially attentive to some of yesterday’s results. The game starts again and the lessons from the previous one should be clear.
