Peru's convict ex-president Alberto Fujimori, 85, aims to run again

By Marco Aquino and Alexander Villegas

LIMA (Reuters) - Alberto Fujimori, 85, who governed Peru with an iron fist for a decade and fled the country amid corruption scandals and human rights violations, plans to run for president amid a cloud of uncertainty and fractured politics.

His daughter Keiko, who unsuccessfully ran for president three times, announced the news on Sunday, drawing attention to the 85-year-old ex-president, who was released from prison in December after an appeals court reinstated his pardon.

But legal experts and analysts are questioning the viability of his 2026 candidacy due to his previous convictions.

"A presidential pardon has exonerated him from prison, but his legal status is of someone who hasn't finished his sentence," said Anibal Quiroga, a constitutional lawyer, who says Article 33 of Peru's constitution removes the political rights of people given prison sentences after criminal convictions.

Fujimori owes $15 million in civil damages over three separate cases. Experts say his candidacy would have to be decided by the country's electoral authority.

"Fujimori's political ambition without measuring the consequences could put the country in uncertainty again," Quiroga said.

There are at least 30 parties registered for the 2026 contest and Gonzalo Banda, a Peruvian political analyst, says Fujimori is trying to re-establish his party as the country's dominant right-wing force.

Keiko and Fujimori's eponymous political movement distanced itself from the convicted ex-president in recent elections, portraying a more moderate image and apologizing for errors committed during his presidency. But after losing in multiple elections, Banda says there's been a "reversal" towards traditional hard-right policies.

The announcement by the elder Fujimori signals to voters that his party is returning to its right-wing roots at a time when crime and violence is a major concern, said Banda, even if he does not reach a second round of voting. A majority of 50% is needed to win the election in the first round, otherwise the top-two finishers go to a run-off.

"(Fujimori's party) is saying you don't have to look for a Bukele, the Peruvian Bukele has always existed and it's Mr. Fujimori," Banda said, referring to Salvadoran President Nayib Bukele, well-known for a crime crackdown criticized by human rights groups.

(Reporting by Marco Aquino and Alexander Villegas; Editing Alistair Bell)