RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Peru’s general elections will be held despite a second wave of COVID-19 infections, Peruvian President Francisco Sagasti said on Thursday, January 21st.
The April 11th elections, which will choose his successor, are within an established legal framework and the government is working on implementing health protocols to protect voters, the president stated.
According to Peru’s National Court of Elections, 25,287,954 voters are eligible to elect the next president and the 130 members of the unicameral congress for the 2021-2026 period.
Prime Minister Violeta Bermudez told candidates and political parties to carry out responsible electoral campaigns and avoid massive crowds.
The Peruvian government has adopted social restriction measures and curfews in the capital Lima and other provinces to contain the pandemic.
As of Wednesday, the country had accumulated 1,078,675 confirmed COVID-19 cases, and 39,157 deaths, according to the Peruvian Ministry of Health.