Paris, Lima. 10 April 2026. The International Federation for Human Rights (FIDH) and its member organisations in Peru, Asociación Pro Derechos Humanos (APRODEH), Perú EQUIDAD and the Centro de Derechos y Desarrollo (CEDAL), have expressed their concern regarding the risk that the upcoming elections will favour members of Congress currently in power. FIDH member organisations also urge citizens to monitor the electoral process and to support democratic candidates.
In Peru, on 12 April 2026, more than 27 million citizens are due to vote in the elections for president and vice-president, senators, deputies, and members of the Andean Parliament.
The election campaign period has been devoid of serious debates on policy but instead has been marked by the spread of hate speech that feeds on citizen insecurity which has risen alarmingly in the country in recent years. Far from drawing attention to the structural causes of everyday violence and crime, most candidates are proposing sensationalist measures -the death penalty, permanent states of emergency and intervention by the armed forces- that would involve Peru’s withdrawal from the Inter-American Human Rights System and the stigmatisation of human rights organisations. The anti-rights proposals also target women’s and feminist organisations, trade unions, environmental organisations, and organisations defending indigenous peoples and rural communities.
The organisations have repeatedly expressed their concern regarding the numerous corruption scandals and the successive changes to the country’s political system, particularly the electoral system, which have been approved by the current Congress of the Republic despite its lack of legitimacy since its inauguration in July 2021. Furthermore, Congress has used successive constitutional reforms to replace the presidential system set out in the 1993 Constitution with an authoritarian and arbitrary parliamentary system that has on more than one occasion interfered with the independence of the other powers of the state, particularly the judiciary power. Among the changes, is the reintroduction of a bicameral system, opposed by 90% of the citizens via a referendum held in December 2018. Congress has also allowed for the re-election of current members of Congress, despite the fact that in the same referendum, over 85% of voters opposed the measure.
The changes to the electoral system enacted by the current Congress include measures that allow for the unequal distribution of public funds earmarked for campaign expenditure, are favourable to the major political parties with members currently in office. Congress also reinstated the provision that allows political parties to receive up to $300,000 in secrete contributions from private companies.
The human rights organisations are calling for vigilance during the elections process and for the election observation delegations to play their part effectively, without ignoring any irregularities that may arise. The organisations are also urging to remain alert to any further erosion of Peru’s democratic institutions. The situation is so serious that non-political, civic, social, and human rights organisations in Peru have launched an intensive campaign calling on people not to vote for the parties that currently hold a majority in Congress and are known for their authoritarian, repressive, patriarchal, and anti-rights agenda that rights organisations have widely decried.
Unfortunately, regardless of who makes it to the second round of elections and of the final election results, the current climate will continue to undermine democratic safeguards and human rights in Peru.