Peru Presidential Election D-5... Rural Teacher vs. Dictator's Daughter (Comprehensive)

Final on the 6th... Left-wing Castillo
Challenges regime change in first presidential run
Former president's daughter Fujimori
Third presidential bid... aiming to be first female president

Keiko Fujimori (left) and Pedro Castillo (right)
[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Suhwan] The runoff election for Peru's presidential race is just 5 days away. With both candidates in the runoff harboring strong mutual animosity and standing at ideological opposites, significant repercussions are expected regardless of who wins this election.

The runoff between Pedro Castillo of the Free Peru Party and Keiko Fujimori of the Popular Force Party, who placed first and second respectively in the first round held in April, is scheduled to take place on the 6th (local time).

Pedro Castillo, a rural teacher with almost no political experience

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

First, Pedro Castillo, the candidate from the left-wing Free Peru Party, is a rural elementary school teacher with almost no political experience. Born in the rural area of Cajamarca in northern Peru, he majored in education and taught children at his hometown elementary school for 25 years.

He gained recognition by leading the teachers' general strike protests in Peru in 2017.

Castillo's only political experience prior to this election was running unsuccessfully for mayor of a small local town in 2002. However, by advancing directly to the runoff in his first presidential bid, foreign media report that he has set off alarm bells among Peru's conservative forces.

In particular, Castillo's party, Free Peru, advocates for a new constitution heavily influenced by Marxism, including drastic tax increases, nationalization, and numerous leftist ideological reforms, which has raised tensions within the conservative camp.

Conservatives are especially concerned that if a radical left-wing government takes power amid Peru's prolonged economic downturn and the plummeting value of the sol in recent years, the country's crisis will worsen. Recently, the dollar-to-sol exchange rate surged to 3.86 soles, marking about a 15% increase since January last year. Additionally, the COVID-19 pandemic has been cited as one of the factors exacerbating Peru's economic crisis.

According to foreign media, billboards in various streets of Lima, Peru's capital, reportedly display messages presumed to reference Castillo, such as "Do you want to live in Venezuela?"

However, the fact that about one-third of Peru's population is classified as impoverished and the rising issue of economic polarization are considered reasons for Castillo's popularity. Notably, a recent survey showed that the COVID-19 pandemic increased the poverty rate by approximately 10% of the total population, highlighting the growing wealth gap.

Keiko Fujimori, political establishment figure and daughter of a former president

[Image source=Reuters Yonhap News]

Unlike Castillo, who is close to a political outsider, Fujimori is classified as part of the political establishment as the daughter of a former president and a three-time presidential candidate.

She is the eldest daughter of Alberto Fujimori, a Japanese-Peruvian who governed from 1990 to 2000, and served as Peru's First Lady at age 19 after her parents' divorce.

She ran for president in 2011 and 2016 but narrowly lost in the runoff both times.

Having been involved in politics for a long time and advocating pro-business and market economy policies, she has become the only viable contender against Castillo. A former minister said, "Castillo's rise poses a significant threat to the business community and the upper class, who are giving unconditional support to Fujimori."

However, Fujimori also carries the stigma of being the "dictator's daughter" due to her father’s human rights abuses and corruption, and she herself has high unfavorable ratings due to corruption allegations.

Therefore, this election is expected to be a choice of the "lesser evil."

A local political analyst remarked, "(This election is) a contest between the worst candidates," adding, "The one who is the less worst will win."

Both Castillo and Fujimori seem aware of this atmosphere and are actively appealing to anti-communist and anti-Fujimorist sentiments, respectively.

If Castillo wins, Peru will experience a left-wing regime change, strengthening the leftist camp in Latin America. Fujimori's victory would mark the first female president and the first mother-daughter presidential succession in Peru.

Polls show a 'neck-and-neck' race... undecided voters reach 20%

Current polls indicate an extremely close runoff race.

According to a poll released by El Comercio, Castillo and Fujimori have support rates of 51.1% and 48.9%, respectively.

Also, with less than a week remaining before the runoff, about 20% of respondents have not yet decided which candidate to support. The candidate who wins over these undecided voters is likely to win the presidential election.

The winner of the runoff on the 6th will succeed President Francisco Sagasti on July 28 and lead Peru for the next five years.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.