Daughter of Ex-President Leads National Polls in Peruvian Presidential Election

Peruvian presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, daughter of convicted ex-president Alberto Fujimori, leads her rivals with 39 percent of the vote in a recent poll, according to AFP. Alberto Fujimori, who ruled from 1990 to 2000, is serving a 25-year prison sentence for human rights violations and corruption, but he retains popularity among many Peruvians. Julio Guzman, Keiko’s closest rival, has 20 percent of the vote.

Peruvian presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, daughter of convicted ex-president Alberto Fujimori, leads her rivals with 39 percent of the vote in a recent poll, according to AFP. Alberto Fujimori, who ruled from 1990 to 2000, is serving a 25-year prison sentence for human rights violations and corruption, but he retains popularity among many Peruvians. Julio Guzman, Keiko’s closest rival, has 20 percent of the vote.

Though Keiko Fujimori enjoys immense popularity, she is up against 18 other candidates who could overturn her rising status. She must win over fellow Peruvians put off by her father’s legacy. Alberto Fujimori, born in Peru but is of Japanese ancestry, has been convicted of assigning death squads to kill supporters of the Maoist guerrilla organization, the Shining Path, and he was convicted on embezzlement and bribery charges. His legacy is steeped in bloodshed and corruption, but more Peruvians are taking a second look at his reign as the economy tumbles.

Alberto’s Legacy

Alberto Fujimori’s policies led to a rising middle class and a strong economy. Like her father, she is a fiscal conservative who believes in a market-oriented approach to governance, but she departs from him in certain respects. For example, she spoke out against her father’s policy of sterilizing poor Andean women, and she eliminated the names of potential cabinet members who are avid supporters of his administration. Keiko is straddling the line between celebrating her father’s accomplishments while forging her own identity.

She is likely face heavy fire from opponents because of her ties to Alberto Fujimori’s administration. Keiko took the role of first lady after her parents separated, hosting state dinners and accompanying him on official trips. She entered Congress in 2006 and later ran for the presidency in 2011, but lost by a narrow margin. She has since toned downed her rhetoric, and this strategy has thus far worked as she wins over more voters.

Rising Crime Rates

Another reason why Keiko is leading in the polls is skyrocketing crime rates. Crime is the number one issue on the minds of Peruvians, notes Bloomberg Business. Part of this has to do with Alberto Fujimori’s authoritarian rule. More people seem willing to live under stricter leadership in the name of security. Keiko may not rule in the same manner as her father, but she is increasingly seen as someone who would be tougher on crime. However, she may not be able to address the crime issue if she is not willing to combat the drug trade.

Peru is the second-largest producer of cocaine behind Colombia, and analysts fear that the South American country is becoming a narco-state. Currently, the drug trade is not a major contributor to rising violence, mostly relegated to bribes and other forms of corruption, but violence could grow out of control in the same way as Mexico. So far, Keiko has remained silent on the issue of drug trafficking, and she and other leading candidates have little to no track record of fighting the systematic corruption tied to drug trafficking. Elections take place in April 2016.