They were not the protests or having been censored just a few months ago. When Juan José Santiváñez He decided to resign his position as Minister of Justice, on October 1, he did it as part of a requirement to apply for the next elections. As well as him, other high authorities have withdrawn from his position or will do so in the next few days with the same purpose.
At the exit of Santiváñez, his colleague is expected to join César VasquezMinister of Health; that of Rafael López Aliaga, Mayor of Lima; and that of three regional governors: César Acuña, de la Libertad; Jorge Pérez, from Lambayeque and Zósimo Cárdenas, from Junín.
Juan José Santiváñez: former minister who seeks to reach the Senate
The resignation of Santiváñez arrived just when the debate of a motion of censure against him had been scheduled in the Plenary of Congress alleging “lack of suitability”. The vote had scheduled for Friday, October 3, however, the resignation came 1.
In the letter addressed to President Dina Boluarte, the former Minister explained that the reason that motivates her decision is her “desire to participate as a candidate in the next elections” that will take place in April 2026.
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According to the former minister in an interview with Milagros Leiva, his goal is to apply for the Senate. While this is already determined, the political party with which it will be presented does not announce. He indicated that he has had several offers and conversations, but that will be a decision that “will make at the end.”
When consulted by Alliance for Progress (APP), a party founded by César Acuña, the former head of Justice insisted that “out of respect” reserves to comment on it. “Out of respect even political organizations and because this has been conversations, I will keep the reservation of the case (…) both alliance for progress and other political parties do not yet define their candidacies,” he said.
On this, Acuña, said before the press that they have not yet talked with Santiváñez and that the party that wraps will have to “evaluate.”
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“Do you think that Mr. Santiváñez has qualities to hold such a position? I don’t know, the party that accepts it will have to evaluate it. He has not yet approached us. We have not talked. Also remember that the games have to look for the best possibilities. People who add and not subtract,” he said.
He also said that he considers that app has established himself as a party, so he hopes that “the best” arrives and who applies to app has “the best credentials.” “You win with the best,” he concluded.
Santiváñez, a lawyer by profession, arrived at Dina Boluarte’s cabinet on May 16, 2024 when he assumed as Interior Minister. His management was loaded with rejection by citizens for the high crime indices. Despite various marches organized to demand improvements in citizen security, Santiváñez never resigned from his position. This happened when it was censored by Congress on March 21, 2025.
Months later, he returned to the Cabinet as Minister of Justice on August 23, a position in which he remained until October 1. In his replacement he entered
César Vásquez, minister who does not rule out applying
In addition to Santiváñez, César Vásquez could be another of the ministers who leave their position in view of the next elections.
When asked if he plans to appear in the next elections, Vásquez reported that he is still evaluating it.
“It is something that I have not yet been defined, I have a week to think about it, I do not rule it out. I think it is also an opportunity and a right that every citizen has and the ministers are not excluded from being able to participate in an electoral contest, on my part I still do not have a clear decision. I will evaluate it, I do not rule it out. I am a politician, I have been congressman, I have had participation in several political scenarios,” he told the press.
Rafael López Aliaga: from mayor to president?
On the other hand, at the mayor’s level, the burgomaster of Lima, Rafael López Aliaga, also aims to be one of the politicians who could appear in the next elections.
In provinces and some districts of Lima, murals and posters that present López Aliaga as presidential candidate are observed, however, the mayor has not yet confirmed his participation.
Since the beginning of 2025, he indicated that it was a decision that would evaluate. At the end of September, in an interview with Panorama, he announced that he will define his decision on October 13, the day he expires for authorities and senior officials who wish to apply for general elections 2026 to present their resignation, in compliance with electoral regulations.
“In this case you also have to see all the risks that one has to take, because it is five more years. You have to meditate beautifully, because the risks that one assumes, in this case, are very high; then, I have pending conversations still to avoid those risks. But there is a deadline, why I am going to force,” he said.
Regional governors who would also seek to apply for 2026
At the regional government level, César Acuña (Gore La Libertad) maintains the same suspense as López Aliaga. To date, he has not confirmed his nomination and, consequently, his resignation to office.
It was the APP spokesperson in Congress, Eduardo Sallejuana, who assured in dialogue with Channel N that Acuña will apply for the elections. “Yes, obviously he will resign before that date. I do not know the exact date, but he like any authority that intends to apply for the Presidency of the Republic has to resign on that occasion and will do it and he will be the presidential candidate of APP,” he said.
For his part, the governor told the press that it is an issue that he must consult with “his pillow”. “The great decisions are sometimes taken in a second. There is still time to meditate, there is still time to think about it, because it is a great responsibility, it is not an easy decision,” he said.
In Junín, Governor Zósimo Cárdenas Mujer could also be an eventual candidate. The Batalla Peru party takes it into account with Fiorella Molinelli Aristondo.
So far, Cárdenas has not manifested on the subject, but Molinelli indicated to the public eye that in the internal party they expect his decision to report. “It’s a possibility [que postule] That he still does not define, we are also waiting for him to do it, ”he said.
From Lambayeque, in an interview with the Public Eye, Governor Jorge Pérez Flores confirmed that he will lend himself to the elections with Somos Peru.
“The party has three candidates, which will analyze them with militancy. The first is George Forsyth; the second is the governor of Cusco, Werner Salcedo, and the third who speaks to him, his server,” he said.
Other candidacies
Other shown candidates are that of the current mayor of Pataz (La Libertad), Aldo Mariños, who could appear to the presidency of the Regional Government.
Meanwhile, Mario Reyna, provincial mayor of Trujillo, could be presented for a re -election with the app party.
In Chiclayo, who could appear for the Mayor’s Office would be the current burgomaster of the district of José Leonardo Ortiza, Elber Requejo, and that of the District of La Victoria, Edwin Vásquez.
Regarding Piura, Gabriel Madrid Orúe, provincial mayor, could appear for the position of regional governor with the app party.
For the Senate, the possible application of Javier Ponce Roque, current mayor of the provincial municipality of Puno, is voiced.
Authorities that rejected apply
On the other hand, there are also authorities whose eventual postulation will not come to be completed.
Such is the case of the Minister of Education, Morgan Quero, who linked to the Citizens party for Peru. Faced with this, the head of the Minedu rejected to resign his position to apply for some position in the electoral contest in 2026.
Like him, the Minister of Labor, Daniel Maurate, ruled out his participation in the 2026 elections. In an interview with TV Peru, he said he has no interest in applying in the future.
The regional governor of Cusco, Werner Salcedo Álvarez, also ruled out interest in participating in the elections.
