MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Peru: Presidential candidate Belaúnde survives armed attack

Belaúnde said his survival was nothing short of a miracle

Peruvian Presidential candidate Rafael Belaúnde of the Popular Freedom party survived an armed attack on Tuesday in Cerro Azul, a town 147 kilometers south of Lima, sustaining only minor scratches from broken glass.

The incident, which police suspect was an assassination attempt, has cast a shadow over the start of the campaign for the April 2026 general elections.

The shooting occurred as Belaúnde, a former Minister of Energy and Mines (2020) and grandson of two-time President Fernando Belaúnde Terry, was driving his vehicle after a routine visit to a company he owns in the area.

National Police Chief Óscar Arriola reported that two assailants on a motorcycle targeted Belaúnde's SUV as he was leaving his property. Initial reports varied on the number of shots fired, with one source stating three precise hits to the windshield and Arriola confirming that between eight and nine shots were directed at the candidate’s vehicle.

Belaúnde, who was traveling alone, stated he managed to repel the attack by firing his personal weapon in self-defense. “I exchanged gunfire because I am a person who exercises my right to use a firearm,” Belaúnde told reporters, calling his escape with only “a few scratches” nothing short of a miracle. He is currently safe and cooperating with investigators.

Police Chief Arriola confirmed that the candidate was unharmed, noting that “pieces of glass caused him some cuts.” The police have activated the “Cerco Plan,” which includes a thorough check of tolls and a search for the perpetrators. A specialized homicide team from Lima has been dispatched to lead the investigation.

While the vice-presidential candidate, Pedro Cateriano, condemned the act and called it a “bad start to the campaign,” the motive for the attack remains unclear.

According to Arriola, there is currently no evidence of extortion or prior threats against Belaúnde. Sleuths are analyzing the attackers' movements, suggesting they were aware of the candidate’s weekly routine of visiting his property in Cerro Azul.

The attack follows a recent pattern of political violence in the region. Last weekend, Percy Ipanaqué, a candidate for deputy for the Juntos por el Perú party, was shot dead by hitmen on motorcycles on the outskirts of Cerro Azul, in the northern city of Piura. Ipanaqué had reported the Piura police chief's alleged involvement in a false operation, adding to concerns about political and organized crime.

Security experts have recently warned that criminal organizations involved in extortion and contract killings could exploit the election campaign to target candidates.

Rafael Jorge Belaúnde Llosa, 50, is the son of former Senator Rafael Belaúnde Aubry and María Eugenia Llosa Montagne. He is the grandson of two-time Peruvian president Fernando Belaúnde Terry and diplomat Jorge Guillermo Llosa Pautrat, as well as the great-grandson of Rafael Belaunde Diez Canseco, chairman of the Council of Ministers under José Luis Bustamante y Rivero, and Ernesto Montagne Markholz, who held the same position during Luis Sánchez Cerro's tenure. He is also a descendant of former Peruvian President Pedro Diez Canseco Corbacho.