In Peru’s presidential race, a pro-Trump frontrunner sinks in final stretch

Key Points:

• Rafael Lopez Aliaga, a far-right candidate in Peru's presidential race known for his pro-Donald Trump stance, has seen his support fall to 7 percent, trailing behind rival Keiko Fujimori by eight points in recent polls.
• Lopez Aliaga's campaign included calls for US military intervention in Peru and expressed admiration for Trump, but the Trump brand appears to have limited appeal among Peruvian voters amid growing distrust of the US government.
• The election has focused primarily on domestic issues like crime and corruption, with little emphasis on foreign policy or US-Peru relations, despite Trump's increased activity in Latin America and controversies over military purchases.
• Some voters and analysts view Lopez Aliaga's pro-Trump positioning as risky, especially given Trump's unpopularity in the region and potential conflicts over Peru's ties with China, which remains a major economic partner.
• As the election nears, Lopez Aliaga has returned to emphasizing his Trump alignment in a last-ditch effort to energize his base, but political experts see this as a desperate move unlikely to broaden his appeal.