Fujimori deepens Latin America's right-wing shift, aligns Peru with Trump

Keiko Fujimori's ascent to the presidency positions Peru within a right-wing axis in Latin America, aligning the Andean nation more closely with Donald Trump's administration in the United States. Simultaneously, China continues to solidify its role as Peru's primary trading partner, with the new Chancay port serving as a vanguard for the Asian giant's expanding influence across South America.

Although Trump never publicly endorsed Fujimori during her campaign nor congratulated her directly on her electoral victory, she has expressed keen interest in Peru joining the 'Shield of the Americas.' This initiative, promoted by the U.S. president, aims to forge a continental alliance against transnational organized crime. Many Latin American leaders who participated in the initiative's inaugural photograph are expected to attend Fujimori's inauguration on July 28, coinciding with Peru's Independence Day.

Leaders such as Javier Milei of Argentina, Rodrigo Paz of Bolivia, José Antonio Kast of Chile, Daniel Noboa of Ecuador, and Santiago Peña of Paraguay are slated to attend. Fujimori had previously attended Kast's inauguration while still a presidential candidate, highlighting a shared vision for collaboration, particularly on migratory issues involving citizens from third countries, predominantly Venezuela.

Relations with Colombia are expected to normalize, despite a past rupture when Gustavo Petro advocated for the release of the imprisoned former president Pedro Castillo and did not recognize Dina Boluarte as his legitimate successor. However, mending ties with Mexico, which also demanded Castillo's freedom and did not recognize Boluarte, presents a greater challenge. The stance of Peru's new president on Castillo's request for presidential clemency, seeking exoneration from an 11-year prison sentence for a failed coup attempt, will be crucial. The response to a request for safe passage for Betssy Chávez, Castillo's former prime minister who received the same sentence and is currently seeking asylum in Mexico, also remains pending.

Meanwhile, Peru announced on Friday, during the government transition, the resumption of bilateral relations with Venezuela, which had been severed in 2024 after the Peruvian administration recognized opposition leader Edmundo González Urrutia as president-elect over Nicolás Maduro. This diplomatic shift occurs as China's economic presence, particularly through the Chancay port, continues to grow, offering a significant counterweight to other international influences in the region.