On the eve of the 2nd round, Peruvian justice decides to put presidential candidate on trial

Peruvians go to the polls on Sunday (7) amid the political crisis
The Peruvian justice system decided, on Friday (5), two days before the second round of presidential elections, to put left-wing candidate Roberto Sánchez on trial for alleged irregularities in his party's financing declaration about six years ago.
The candidate will face right-wing Keiko Fujimori, daughter of former president Alberto Fujimori, on Sunday in a second round considered fierce. The electoral dispute will not be affected by the court decision, as there is still an appeal.
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Furthermore, if he wins the elections, Sánchez, a 57-year-old congressman and former minister, will have immunity, as provided for in the Constitution.
"The criminal prosecution notice is ordered; consequently, it is declared that there is merit for the oral trial against Roberto Sánchez Palomino", said judge Adolfo Farfán after a two-day virtual hearing.
The Peruvian Public Ministry, which asked for Sánchez's sentence to five years and four months in prison, expressed agreement with the decision.
Sánchez's defense informed that it will appeal the decision and has a period of one week to present the appeal.
According to the Public Ministry, there are inconsistencies in the financial reports of Sánchez's party, Together for Peru, relating to campaigns for the regional and municipal elections held between 2018 and 2020.
According to the accusation, Sánchez had received more than US$57 thousand (R$292 thousand, at the current exchange rate) from members of his political group for party activities without declaring the amounts to the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE).
"This judiciary decided to continue the case, reject the defense's observations and recognize the formal validity of the accusation", added the judge.
"A lie"
Peru's presidential candidate Roberto Sánchez during an interview with the Reuters news agency on April 10, 2026
Angela Ponce/Reuters
So far, Sánchez has not commented on the court decision. On Thursday, he attended the hearing virtually, shortly before participating in the campaign closing rally in Lima.
"For years they tried to construct a lie to discredit me politically", wrote Sánchez in April about the process on the social network left-wing candidate presents himself as the voice of the poorest and rural regions of the country.
He also accuses Fujimori of being part of a political "mafia" that, according to him, is responsible for the instability faced by Peru, which has had eight presidents since 2016.
Four presidents were removed by Congress, where Fujimori's party, Força Popular, exercises strong influence.
Another two resigned before being removed, one completed a brief eight-month term and the current president interim will leave office in July.
"Respectful" relations with the USA
In the final stretch of the campaign, Sánchez has reinforced speeches of consensus and stability, moving away from the proposals for more radical changes that generated concern among part of the conservative electorate.
On Friday, the candidate told AFP that he wants to maintain "respectful" relations with the President of the United States, Donald Trump.
"Good neighborliness and respectful relations between nations (...) are always a priority. And Peru, which has historical relations with the United States, cannot be an exception. This will be our government orientation", he stated.
During his second term, Trump has commented on elections in Latin America and expressed support for conservative candidates, but has not yet commented on the dispute in Peru.
When commenting on the country's political instability, Sánchez defended the construction of a consensus to limit the use of Congress's prerogative to remove presidents on the grounds of "permanent moral incapacity", broadly provided for in the Constitution.
"We have to recover the balance between the Powers, guarantee institutional separation and regulate vacancies due to permanent moral incapacity of the president", he defended.
The left-wing leader stated that this measure will help to "end this misgovernment that began in 2016".

Source: G1