LIMA: Keiko Fujimori was sworn in as Peru’s president on Tuesday, becoming the latest in a string of conservative leaders elected across Latin America by voters frustrated by crime, weak economic growth and political instability.
The 51-year-old daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori is Peru’s first-ever elected female head of state. Her victory in June’s presidential runoff marked the return of one of Peru’s most influential and polarizing political dynasties and capped a political comeback after years of failed bids.
“I assume office with the firmness needed to govern, but also with the sensitivity required to listen to and heal the wounds of our people,” Fujimori said in her first address as president, calling for reconciliation after a close election race marked by allegations of fraud.
“We must have the courage to face our reality head-on, without anesthesia, without makeup, and without half-truths,” she said.
Fujimori will be Peru’s 10th president since 2016 following a tumultuous decade in which no leader completed a full five-year term.
