Large protests erupted in Lima against presidential candidate Keiko Fujimori, with demonstrators warning that a Fujimori victory could mean a return to dictatorship. Thousands marched through the capital ahead of a presidential vote that has polarized Peruvian society.
Protesters carried signs referencing the authoritarian legacy of Keiko Fujimori’s father, former President Alberto Fujimori, who was convicted of human rights abuses and corruption. Opposition groups argued that electing his daughter would revive patterns of democratic backsliding and concentrated executive power.
Fujimori’s supporters countered that she represents stability and economic continuity in a country struggling with political instability. The candidate has campaigned on law-and-order themes while dismissing comparisons to her father’s rule.
The demonstrations reflected deep divisions in a nation that has cycled through multiple presidents in recent years. Security forces monitored the rallies as Peru prepared for an election that could reshape its democratic institutions.
Keiko Fujimori has run for the presidency three times previously, each bid generating fierce opposition from voters who associate her name with her father’s authoritarian presidency. Election authorities confirmed the vote would proceed on schedule despite the scale of street demonstrations in the capital.
Fujimori has pledged to respect democratic institutions while opponents cite her father’s record of closing courts and Congress.
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Sources:
https://www.democracynow.org/2026/6/5/headlines