Peru is at a critical juncture. This is not mere rhetorical exaggeration; it is the reality of a nation caught between citizen disillusionment, political fragmentation, and the constant threat from those who view power as a tool for ideological revenge and institutional capture.
Amidst this landscape, the figure of Keiko Fujimori re-emerges. And it is important to state this clearly: regardless of personal opinions, her candidacy represents one of the few options with sufficient political experience, national structure, and democratic conviction to prevent Peru from continuing its descent into chaos.
For too long, a segment of Latin American intellectual elites have preferred to judge Keiko Fujimori not by her proposals or her political abilities, but by the last name she carries. As if democracy consisted of inheriting eternal blame, rather than allowing each citizen to forge their own path before the sovereign judgment of the ballot box.
A serious debate should not revolve around historical grievances, but around a concrete question: who can restore stability, economic growth, and institutional confidence to Peru?
Because while some cultivate inflammatory rhetoric, the real Peru demands jobs, investment, legal security, and democratic order.
There can be no prosperity in a country where each government seeks to destroy the previous one. There can be no investment where uncertainty reigns. There can be no freedom…
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FILE: Keiko Fujimori, leader of Fuerza Popular, addresses her supporters during a campaign rally, marking the beginning of her path towards the 2026 Peruvian elections. (AFP) Peru is at a decisive moment. This is not rhetorical exaggeration; it is the recognition of a nation trapped between citizen disillusionment, political fragmentation, and the constant threat from those who understand power as an instrument of ideological revenge and institutional capture. Amidst this scenario, the figure of Keiko Fujimori emerges once again. And it is important to state clearly: regardless of sympathies or disagreements, her candidacy represents one of the few options with sufficient political experience, national structure, and democratic conviction to prevent Peru from continuing to descend into chaos. For too long, part of the Latin American intellectual elite has preferred to judge Keiko Fujimori not by her proposals or her political ability, but by the last name she carries. As if democracy consisted of inheriting eternal blame and not allowing each citizen to build their own path before the sovereign judgment of the ballot box. The serious debate should not revolve around historical resentments, but around a concrete question: who can restore stability, economic growth, and institutional confidence to Peru? Because while some cultivate inflammatory rhetoric, the real Peru demands employment, investment, legal security, and democratic order. There is no prosperity possible in a country where each government tries to destroy the previous one. There is no investment where uncertainty reigns. There is no freedom where populism turns institutions into ideological trenches. And it is precisely there that Keiko Fujimori has demonstrated extraordinary political resilience. She has endured endless judicial persecutions, campaigns of personal destruction, and a continental narrative designed to turn her into a symbol of all the ills of Peruvian politics. However, she remains standing. And that, in politics, also reveals character. Those who defend liberal democracy in Latin America cannot continue to act with naivety. Contemporary authoritarianism no longer arrives dressed in a military uniform; it arrives disguised as moral redemption, infinite social justice, and hatred of the private sector, the free press, and enterprise. Peru has already been too close to that abyss. Therefore, supporting Keiko Fujimori does not mean ignoring debates from the past. It means understanding that the future demands leadership, firmness, and experience to prevent the country from remaining trapped in permanent instability. Nations do not progress by nurturing resentments. They progress when they are able to defend economic freedom, the rule of law, and institutional stability against those who seek to replace them with populist chaos. Peru needs to regain confidence in itself. And in that task, Keiko Fujimori can once again become the democratic dam against uncertainty and improvisation. * The author was the constitutional president of the Republic of Ecuador.