The Centrist Democratic International (IDC) questioned the decision of the National Election Jury (JNE) to withdraw Popular Action of the electoral process and warned that such action could raise questions on the legitimacy of the process leading to the 2026 general elections, considering that democratic and constitutional principles would not have been fully guaranteed.
“The Centrist Democratic International urges, with all due respect, the National Election Jury to comply with these steps that are constitutional precepts, and invites them to broadly review the need to respect the internal life of the parties, to strengthen them as basic instruments of political participation and achieve greater citizen participation and the essential right to elect and be elected,” the statement reads.
Thus, the organization warned that allowing these practices to remain uncorrected not only affects a particular political organization, but could extend a blanket of illegitimacy over the elections themselves, by weakening citizen confidence in the transparency and legality of the electoral system. So they end up reiterating that it be re-evaluated as soon as possible.
“If what we urge does not happen, serious doubts will arise, not only about the impartiality and suitability of the National Election Jury, but shadows will be cast on the legitimacy of Peruvian democracy that must arise from the elections called for April 12, 2026,” adds the organization of which it is also a part. Alfredo Barnechea.
YOU CAN SEE: Elections 2026: Fuerza Popular is the party with the most congressmen seeking re-election
Recently, The Plenary Session of the National Elections Jury confirmed that Acción Popular was left out of the general elections, after rejecting the request for annulment presented by the political group against the decision that declared its primary elections for the election of candidates invalid.
The appeal had been filed by the legal representative, Fernando Luis Arias Stella Castilloand the national general secretary, Juan José Abad Cabrera, who sought to reverse the annulment of the party’s primary elections, despite the fact that this was considered final.
It is important to note that the JNE He maintained that all of the voting stations in Popular Action presented substantial irregularities, due to the participation of people who had not been designated as delegates in the internal process, which violated the principles of internal democracy and due process. In the resolution, the Plenary indicated that they could not be held again either because several milestones on the electoral calendar had already advanced, which ended up leaving the party out of the race.
YOU CAN SEE: José Jerí aligned with Congress: the laws he approved without further observations
Chronology of the crisis
The crisis in Popular Action was unleashed after the election of Alfredo Barnechea as presidential candidate. Various activists questioned the process by denouncing the alleged irregular replacement of delegates, as well as the existence of alleged job offers in exchange for political support. Added to this were accusations of impersonations and irregular accreditations during election day.
On December 4, it was reported that at least 26 delegates elected on November 30 had been replaced without justification. According to the complainants, the Electoral Committee, headed by Cinthia Pajuelowould have referred to the ONPE ua list of delegates different from that approved in the regional minutes.
After taking second place, Julio Chávez denounced alleged fraud in the internal elections, maintaining that there was manipulation in the list of delegates and announced that he would file a challenge before the JNE to review the legality of the process and the proclamation of the presidential candidate.
“It is an unprecedented fact in the history of the primary elections ofPopular Action: A manifest and gross fraud was perpetrated. The former president of the National Electoral Committee, without any foundation or documentary support, replaced 28 delegates who had been elected on November 30, allegedly with the complicity of theONPE“said Chávez.
Finally, after the Plenary Session evaluated the situation, it concluded that it was no longer possible to correct these irregularities, which is why Acción Popular was withdrawn from the 2026 general elections.
