Peru held presidential elections on Sunday with 35 candidates competing to lead the South American nation, which has seen eight different presidents in the past decade. More than 27 million registered voters were eligible to participate in the mandatory voting process, with approximately 1.2 million expected to cast ballots from abroad.

The election takes place against a backdrop of surging violent crime that has become voters' primary concern. Official data shows homicides have doubled and extortion cases have increased fivefold during the current decade. More than 200 public transportation drivers were killed in Peru in 2025, and a national survey found that 84% of urban respondents feared becoming crime victims within the next 12 months.

Among the leading candidates is Keiko Fujimori, a conservative former congresswoman and daughter of late President Alberto Fujimori, making her fourth presidential bid. She has promised strict crime enforcement measures, including anonymous judges for criminal cases and requiring prisoners to work for their food. Other notable candidates include Rafael López Aliaga, former mayor of Lima, who has proposed building Amazon prisons and expelling illegal foreign residents, and comedian-turned-politician Carlos Álvarez.

Given the large candidate field and divided electorate, no candidate is expected to secure the required 50% majority for an outright victory, making a June runoff virtually certain. Many candidates have responded to crime concerns with proposals ranging from building megaprisons to reinstating the death penalty for serious crimes.

Voters are also selecting a bicameral Congress for the first time in over 30 years, following 2024 constitutional amendments. The new 60-member Senate will hold significant power, including the ability to remove presidents with support from just 40 senators, compared to the previous requirement of 87 votes from 130 lawmakers. This change comes despite 80% of voters rejecting bicameralism in a 2018 referendum.