'No vaccination against lies and corruption' - Candidates Fujimori and Vizcarra trade blows in heated debate ahead of Peru elections

"Tensions flared on the third day of Peru’s presidential debate on Wednesday, as candidates traded accusations in a heated exchange ahead of the 12 April election. Twelve candidates took part in the debate, organised by the National Elections Board (JNE) at the Convention Centre in Lima, where they outlined proposals on tackling insecurity and corruption — two of the country’s most pressing issues. Mario Vizcarra, candidate for Peru Primero, rejected the implementation of the death penalty for cases involving hitmen and rape. "We believe that this is a demagogic measure. Before criminals fear the death penalty, they fear the conditions in which they can spend their last years of life," he said, instead proposing the construction of maximum-security prisons. Keiko Fujimori, candidate for Fuerza Popular, said the Vizcarra family "never got vaccinated against lies and corruption", in a jab referencing the 2021 'Vacunagate' scandal. Fujimori went on to say that combating crime requires a return to past strategies. "To defeat terrorism in the 90s, the death penalty was not needed," she stated, adding, "We will go back to using faceless judges and also so that inmates have to work for their food." During the debate, Vizcarra accused Fujimori’s party of corruption, referencing past cases of extortion and bribery. The Fuerza Popular candidate defended her record, saying she had been unjustly detained for more than 490 days without conviction. "Someone has been sentenced for corruption, and his brother is also in prison. Not me. They have spent decades repeating the same lies, the same attacks, clinging to my skirt instead of taking responsibility for their own ineptitude," Fujimori said. Mario Vizcarra’s brother, former President Martin Vizcarra, is currently serving a 14-year sentence for accepting bribes while he was Governor of Moquegua. Other candidates also set out their positions. Paul Jaimes Blanco, from Progresemos, voiced support for the death penalty for hitmen and those who rape minors, recalling an attempted assassination against his daughter. "When crime knocks on your door, your discourse changes," he said. Rosario Fernandez, candidate for Un Camino Diferente, also accused Fuerza Popular of corruption and proposed reforms to the National Board of Justice, the Judicial Power, and the Public Ministry through a popular vote. The session ended with further accusations and starkly differing approaches to tackling corruption, violence and insecurity, concluding the first phase of the presidential debate ahead of the 12 April vote."

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