Keiko Fujimori sworn in as Peru's first female president, vows stability
Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori, was inaugurated as Peru's president after a narrow June election victory, becoming the first woman to hold the office and pledging to end a decade of political instability.
Conservative leader Keiko Fujimori was sworn in as Peru's president on Tuesday, July 28, 2026, after narrowly winning the June election by fewer than 50,000 votes. The 51-year-old head of the Popular Force party, whose father Alberto Fujimori ruled Peru from 1990 to 2000, becomes the country's first female head of state.
Fujimori takes office promising to restore political stability after a decade of turmoil, tackle rising crime, and revive economic growth. Peru has had nine presidents in the past decade, with only three elected by popular vote. The others took office after their predecessors resigned or were removed by Congress, often amid corruption scandals.
She enters office with strong congressional backing. Her Popular Force party and its main ally, Popular Renovation, control half the seats in the newly installed Senate, making it more difficult for lawmakers to remove the president.
Security was central to Fujimori's campaign as Peru grapples with growing organized crime and extortion. She has pledged to govern with an "iron fist," including plans to build a mega-prison modeled on El Salvador's Cecot facility and allow judges to conceal their identities during criminal trials for security reasons.
She has also promised to boost infrastructure investment by making it easier for government agencies to partner with private investors.
Opposition leaders have urged Fujimori's incoming administration to repeal laws passed by the previous Congress that critics say have weakened efforts to combat organized crime.
