Just a few months before a new presidential election takes place, political parties are defining who will be their representatives to the citizens. Of the 39 participating political organizations, two have decided to hold their internal elections under the “one member, one vote” modality, that is, a general election in which all members vote for the candidate they consider appropriate to represent them. These parties are APRA and Renovación Popular.
However, – and although it may be contradictory – the situation of both parties is different. While APRA has presented a striking number of candidates for the presidential candidacy – 15 APRAs are seeking to reach the Palace -, Renovación Popular will face this process with a single candidate: its leader, Rafael López Aliaga.
Apra: 15 militants of the star party want to be presidents
On the part of APRA, one of the biggest proposals comes from the pre-candidate Hernán Garrido Lecca. The former Minister of Health and Housing presented a series of proposals focused on strengthening the technical capacity of national hospitals. In statements to La República, he was optimistic and the winner of the internal elections in the star’s party: “My prediction is that I will win.”
His slogan – linked to the position he previously held – focuses on renewing public health systems: “Ten presidents have passed and the national budget is four times more and they have not delivered a single one,” he declared. To do this, it proposes forming teams dedicated to streamlining processes. He noted that he got the idea from former UK Prime Minister Tony Blair. “They are units of very few people with all the power to unblock things.”
In one of his last public appearances, Garrido Lecca pointed out that he respects all of his party’s candidates who participate in the internal elections seeking the presidential candidacy and also running for the Senate or the Chamber of Deputies, but that his vocation is clear and he aims to be president and not a congressman.
“After the 30th, I am sure that we will all work together to take the People’s Party to a third term,” he said, referring to the internal elections in which he participates with number 2. He also stressed that in his eventual government he will prioritize the role of the new generations in the Government. “Young people will be given space to assume real responsibilities within the State and the party,” he said.
In the internal contest of the Aprista Party, there are also other candidates with opposing positions on the vision of the party, which has generated a dispute between self-proclaimed renewal currents and the so-called “old guard” Aprista.
In addition, Garrido-Lecca, considered the favorite according to polls within the party, among those seeking to represent Apra in these elections are the former mayor of Lima and former minister Jorge del Castillo, Enrique Valderrama, Javier Velásquez Quesquén, Jorge Morales, Yamel Romero, Juan Carlos Sánchez Montes de Oca, Nery Juana Quiroz, Augusto Raúl Valqui, Magno Mendoza, Neptalí Ramírez, Emiliano Vargas, Rafael Zevallos, Jorge Risco and José Antonio Torres.
Popular Renewal also prepares its primary elections
The other party that will hold internal elections is Renovación Popular. The group will endorse the single candidacy, headed by Rafael López Aliaga. It is expected that, among the entire list of militants, the list of the former mayor of Lima will exceed the requirement of 10% participation in favor. Members of the party indicated that they hope to greatly exceed that percentage.
“Everything is being carried out normally with the ONPE and the militancy,” Norma Yarrow declared to La República when asked about the electoral process. Yarrow is part of López Aliaga’s plan as first vice president. They are also accompanied by Jhon Iván Ramos Malpica in the second vice presidency, a militant with a long history in political organization and studies completed at the secondary level.
Other parties will elect their representatives through delegates
Outside of APRA and Renovación Popular, 37 other political groups will also participate in the next general elections. These organizations chose to select their presidential candidates through the “election by delegates” modality, in which each party elects a set of representatives who deliberate and vote for the list they consider most appropriate. The candidate who receives the greatest support will be the one who represents the group in the general elections.
Venceremos, the electoral alliance made up of Nuevo Perú, Voces del Pueblo and Unidad Popular, has already defined its presidential candidate through this system. Ronald Atencio obtained more votes than Vicente Alanoca, thus becoming the representative of the coalition.
For their part, other parties are also preparing for their internal elections under this modality. The Purple Party brings together the candidacies of Richard Arce, Moisés Guevara and Manuel Quiroz. This Sunday the 30th, the delegates who will participate in the final vote to define the presidential candidate will be chosen.
