The businessman and former socialist mayor of Lima Ricardo Belmont has become the main surprise of the presidential campaign inPeru, after leading to an unexpected rise in the polls a few days before the elections and positioning himself as one of the candidates with a chance of running for the second Turn around.
According to the latest polls, conducted before the start of the electoral ban, Belmont reaches between 11% and 12% of voting intention. This result places him in second place or in a technical tie with other candidates, in a highly fragmented contest. Meanwhile, Keiko Fujimori continues to lead the race with some advantage, while Carlos Álvarez and Rafael López Aliaga remain direct competitors in the fight for
first places.
Belmont's growth has been particularly abrupt. In just one week, it went from being among the candidates with the lowest intention to vote to consolidating itself as a competitive option. Analysts attribute this uptick to his performance in the presidential debates, where he showed a conciliatory and close tone, as well as to his presence on social networks, driven largely by his family environment and his younger fan base
.
However, his eruption into the race has also rekindled questions about his controversial political trajectory and the strength of his candidacy. At 80, Belmont is not only the oldest candidate, but also one with an irregular electoral record
. The leftist candidate is second in voting intention, according to the latest polls conducted
Although he enjoyed popularity during his tenure as mayor of Lima between 1990 and 1995, his subsequent career has been marked by multiple failed attempts to return to public office, with marginal results in presidential and legislative elections
for more than two decades.
The candidate, popularly known as the “brother”, presents himself as an independent figure and alien to the traditional political class. However, his journey evidences a series of changing alliances with different parties and ideological spaces, which has raised doubts about the coherence of his proposal. His speech has been strongly characterized by strong left-wing elements, as well as support for regional leaders such as Andrés Manuel López Obrador
.
With regard to security, one of the central issues of the campaign, his proposal has also been the subject of criticism. Inspired by the slogan “hugs, not bullets”, popularized by López Obrador, Belmont has proposed an insufficient approach to the serious crime crisis facing the country. In a scenario where insecurity is the main citizen concern, his approach has been described by specialists as disconnected from reality
. Keiko Fujimori is currently leading the polls with a significant advantage
Its political environment has not been without controversy either. Its vice-presidential candidate is Daniel Barragán, former defense minister in the Pedro Castillo government, while in the past Belmont has maintained ties with controversial figures
such as Antauro Humala.
In the business sphere, Belmont also has questions related to its RBC television channel, especially because of a failed investment scheme known as “widespread shareholding”, which left many citizens with losses. This episode has been used by his opponents to question his credibility and his
financial management.
Despite this background, its growth in the polls reflects the high level of volatility of the Peruvian electorate and the wear and tear of traditional political figures. In a scenario of fragmentation and distrust, the figure of Belmont seems to have captured a vote of protest or disenchantment, rather than solid support for a government program
.
A few days before the election, his candidacy remains unknown. While some see it as a temporary phenomenon driven by the conjuncture, others warn that its presence in a possible second round could significantly alter
the Peruvian political scene. The media businessman and former mayor of Lima has been the subject of numerous controversies throughout his career
