Peru will swear in Keiko Fujimori as president, making her the country’s first elected female head of state and signaling a broader rightward shift across Latin America driven by concerns over crime, economic stagnation, and political instability.

Fujimori signals closer security cooperation with the United States and participation in the Shield of the Americas, while continuing economic ties with China through projects like Chancay.

Her victory marks the return of a prominent political dynasty after years of unsuccessful bids.

Experts warn that expanding police and military jurisdiction could threaten human rights.

She proposed reforms to protect judges’ identities in criminal trials and to reorganize social services to combat rural malnutrition, while preparing for El Niñ o-related risks.

She also proposed protecting judges’ safety and reorganizing social services to reduce rural malnutrition, alongside preparation for El Niño impacts.

Her domestic agenda prioritizes security with expanded video surveillance, a stronger police presence, harsher penalties for crime and gangs, four mega-prisons, and bolstered infrastructure, health, and education funded by private investment and technology modernization.

El Niño is expected to worsen vulnerabilities later in 2026, threatening floods, landslides, fisheries, and agriculture.

The cabinet, announced at a July 27 press conference, includes a Prime Minister along with the Economy and Foreign Ministers.

Economic and infrastructure plans aim to attract private investment, build new schools and hospitals, and modernize Peru with technology and AI, though funding gaps and El Niño risks present challenges.

Implementation hinges on securing funding amid deficits and climate risks from El Niño.

Protests by left-wing groups accompanied the runoff and are expected to continue around the inauguration.