This Sunday, May 15, the internal elections of political parties to define the candidacies that will compete in the polls next October. No major surprises are expected given that the vast majority have submitted single lists, so the process is more of a ratification of names. The most relevant data is that 1,338 former authorities seek to return as governors or mayors (provincial and district) and also that 46% of them come from the 2014-2018 period, when subnational re-election was eliminated.
Of the 1,338 former authorities who apply, 612 come from the 2014 period and were unable to apply once more due to the impediment to re-election approved in 2015.
There are several layers of information to analyze. For example, we have that 25 current district mayors apply in other districts to get around the norm that prevents the re-electionwhile 15 current provincial mayors also apply in districts to avoid the impediment.
The political scientist Eduardo Dargent considers that, among so many new faces, the memory of an acceptable management would imply a certain advantage. In addition, he warns that the latest changes in the electoral rules they can have the opposite effect.
“Before you didn’t need to have everyone affiliated, you had guests. Now it’s a choice where having recognition once morest so many amateurs gives you an advantage. In addition, you have weak parties where instead of thinking of candidates with potential, they opt for those who have the administrative management of the party. It happens to the Purple Party and we have seen it before in the PPC ”, said the PUCP professor.
In the list of former authorities who seek to return to power there are all kinds of profiles. Among them, those sentenced: In Lima we have the former mayors Milton Jimenez (Stone Bridge), Pedro del Rosario (Los Olivos) y Augusto Miyashiro (Chorrillos).
The most striking case is that of Puente Piedra. Milton Jiménez He was sentenced for the crime once morest public administration-embezzlement to the detriment of the municipality to which he seeks to return as mayor. The prosecutor’s accusation was related to irregularities in four works carried out in Jiménez’s management according to reports from a special commission of the Comptroller General of the Republic. One of these reports is regarding overpayments of S/ 467,096 in the selection process for the construction of the three-story municipal palace of Puente Piedra.
Jiménez’s first administration began in 1995 with the Fujimorista group Cambio 90 and achieved the re-election in 1998. He did not return to power until 2014 and since in 2018 he might not run for re-election, he ran as a candidate for deputy mayor on the list led by his son Marlon Jimenez Mogollon.
In 2019, Jiménez Sr. tried to run for Congress with Podemos, but was excluded from the electoral process for him National Election Jury due to the impediment to apply established in article 113 of Law No. 26859, Organic Law of Elections, which establishes that those sentenced to a custodial sentence, effective or suspended, with a consensual or executory sentence, for the commission, as perpetrators, of intentional crimes of collusion, embezzlement or corruption of officials cannot be candidates; even when they have been rehabilitated. Jiménez himself had stated in his resume that his sentence had been served.
Then, in 2021, Jiménez was vacated from his position as district councilor for having an intentional sentence once morest the Municipality of Puente Piedra itself.
Family succession policy seems to be a constant in Puente Piedra. As a candidate for the Alliance for Progress, Esteban Monzon Caveroson of the former mayor of the district, Esteban Monzon Fernandez (2010-2014). Unlike the case of Jiménez, Monzón preferred not to participate in the contest because he is dragging a judicial process for the crime of aggravated usurpation.
Another case of family succession occurs in Chorrillos. Augusto Miyashiro Yamashiro He finished his term in 2018 following five consecutive terms. The impediment of re-electionapproved in 2015, cut his streak but also opted to nominate his son Augusto Miyashiro Ushikubowho was elected and currently holds the position of mayor of Chorrillos.
In 2020, the Third Unipersonal Court of the Superior Court of Justice of Lima sentenced Augusto Miyashiro Father, a 4-year suspended sentence for the crime of embezzlement. Despite this, Miyashiro now seeks to return to power.
This newspaper was able to identify that, of the former mayors of the 2014-2018 period who were unable to apply for the re-election7 drag complaints even for rape.
On the other hand, there are 15 former authorities from the 2014 period -who were unable to apply for the re-election in 2018, who seek to return to public administration. Those who accumulate more experience are Francis Allison (Magdalena) y Óscar Benavides (Ate), both with 4 management periods in their history. Both apply with the Alliance for Progress, the party that has the most former authorities on its lists.
“I believe that, as a result of their political work, their experience and knowledge, they can contribute a lot in their districts and that on Election Day it will be shown whether people remember them positively or negatively”said Richard Acuña, leader of APP.
From prison to regional government
In the case of candidacies for regions, the situation is similar, with respect to former authorities who seek to return to power despite their background. The most striking case is that of Alex Runthe former leader and founder of the Chim Pum Callao regional movement whose authorities were now prisoners Félix Moreno and Juan Sotomayor.
In June 2021, Kouri was released from prison following serving a 5-year sentence for the Vía Expresa del Callao case. He was sentenced in June 2016, following the Public Ministry demonstrated that he “directly” benefited the Convial company to build the Vía Expresa del Callao in 1999.
After leaving prison, Kouri joined the regional movement Somos Callao -which has just registered with the characteristic colors of Chim Pum Callao- and almost a year later, he leads the list as a candidate for regional governor of the first port.
In the interior of the country we have other controversial cases such as that of Wilfredo Oscorima, who in 2015 was sentenced to 5 years in prison for the crime of incompatible negotiation, although he was acquitted two years later. Now, Oscorima intends to govern Ayacucho once more.
In Amazonas he appears as a candidate Gilmer Hornathe former governor whose companies were intervened in 2018 by the Prosecutor’s Office in the framework of an investigation for the crime of money laundering.
Likewise, in Ancash it postulates Vladimir Meza Villarrealformer mayor of Huaraz, accused by Zamir Villaverdewho is serving preventive detention for alleged irregular bidding, as the coordinator of the alleged electoral fraud to benefit Peru Libre.
They are still in the race
In the 2022 election, they also seek to bring back old fraudulent campaign tactics. The National Election Jury faces a series of cases of falsified resignations of pre-candidates. One of the most recent cases is that of Pedro Spadarocurrent mayor of Ventanilla who is running for mayor of Callao.
A third presented a supposed letter of resignation from Spadaro to the group he leads in order to take him out of the race.
“They have supplanted my identity, and those behind it are those who want to return to power and sow corruption once more. The ETC. it has to guarantee the legal certainty of the process. We are still in the race”Spadaro told this newspaper.
This newspaper was able to identify three other cases in addition to that of Pedro Spadaro.
| Candidates | Apply to… | grouping | Resignation substitution date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Katya Santamaria | District Mayor’s Office of Mi Peru (Callao) | with you Callao | March, 15th |
| Oscar Benavides | District Mayor’s Office of Ate (Lima) | Alliance for Progress | March 14 |
| Elmer Arce | District Mayor’s Office of Lince (Lima) | Purple Party | March 14 |
As a result of Spadaro’s complaint, the highest electoral body spoke through Twitter alleging that, through the Plenary Agreement of April 3, it was arranged that the Registry of Political Organizations (ROP) would reincorporate in the register of affiliates those false resignations that were submitted until December 31, 2021.
“Mr. Spadaro appears in the Declara Internas system as a candidate for Contigo Callao, that is, he will participate in the Elections Interns of next May 22”clarified the ETC. and recalled that they have already resolved cases where false resignations have been dismissed.
This Journal found 5 bugs on this line.
| Pre-candidate | Apply to… | grouping | Waiver impersonation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Enrique Dupuy | District Mayor’s Office of Ate (Lima) | We can | March 1st |
| Luis Alberto Mamani | District Mayor’s Office of Pepita (Puno) | Reform and Honesty for more Works | December 30 (2021) |
| Jhon Janampa | | District town hall of Luricocha (Ayacucho) | Alliance for Our Development | December 31 (2021) |
| Mario Torres | District Mayor of Pomata (Puno) | For the Source Communities of Andean Integration of Puno | December 30 (2021) |
| Renol Pichardo | Governor of Ayacucho | Alliance for Our Development | December 31 (2021) |
The ETC. has not yet specified how many cases of impersonation exist.
The election campaign is officially underway.
