Peruvian president calls for general elections amid security crisis and yearslong political instability

Peruvian President Dina Boluarte has called for general elections to be held on April 12, 2026, saying she hopes the call can “put an end to a period of instability” that the country has experienced in recent years.

Peruvian President Dina Boluarte has called for general elections to be held on April 12, 2026, saying she hopes the call can “put an end to a period of instability” that the country has experienced in recent years. “We hope for the good of Peru that the 2026 elections will not only allow our citizens to exercise their right to vote but also put an end to the period of instability that has led Peru to have six presidents in recent years,” she said. Boluarte had until next month to call the elections, according to a proposed schedule by the National Elections Board, which also stipulated that the vote be held on April 12, 2026. The announcement comes amid a security crisis in Peru that has resulted in the declaration of a state of emergency in the Peruvian capital and the province of Callao. The declaration followed the killing of a well-known cumbia musician on March 16, which sparked protests and led the Peruvian Congress to censure Interior Minister Juan José Santivañez over his handling of the wave of insecurity. The country has also experienced recent political crises that resulted in Peru having six presidents in the last seven years. In 2022, Dina Boluarte became Peru’s first female president after her predecessor Pedro Castillo was arrested and impeached by lawmakers for attempting to dissolve the legislative body and install an emergency government.