The Special Electoral Jury of Lima Centro has admitted an appeal seeking to exclude Rafael López Aliaga from upcoming municipal elections in Peru.
The challenge, filed by citizen Ronald Wilder Castillo Rojas, accuses the Renovación Popular party leader of attempting to bypass constitutional rules that prohibit immediate re-election for municipal mayors.
Electoral authorities will now transfer the entire case file to the National Jury of Elections, Peru's highest electoral body, for a final decision on the candidate's eligibility.
The dispute stems from the recent resignation of Luis Israel Rubio Idrogo, who was originally running as the mayoral candidate for Renovación Popular in the capital city of Lima.
Following Rubio's withdrawal, López Aliaga moved into the top slot on the party's municipal list as first councillor. Under Peruvian electoral rules, the first councillor automatically assumes the mayoral seat if the lead position becomes vacant.
Constitutional challenge over re-election rules
In his complaint, Castillo argued that López Aliaga's transition to the lead councillor position creates a material immediate re-election for the 2027 to 2030 term. Article 194 of the Political Constitution of Peru explicitly forbids mayors from serving consecutive terms in office.
The complainant stated that the maneuver represents constitutional incompatibility and an abuse of right. He requested that authorities conduct formal document verification, launch jurisdictional proceedings, and exclude López Aliaga from the candidate list.
The Special Electoral Jury had initially declined to open an investigation or begin formal exclusion proceedings against the candidate. Castillo then filed an appeal on August 26 to contest that refusal.
Procedural approval and transfer to electoral court
In a resolution issued on August 28, the local electoral tribunal verified that the appeal had been submitted within the statutory legal timeframe. The tribunal confirmed that the filing satisfied all requirements set under Article 43 of the Candidate List Registration Regulations.
The document was signed by an active registered lawyer, and Castillo corrected an initial procedural issue by paying the required electoral fee, enabling the tribunal to grant the appeal.
Following the approval, the Special Electoral Jury ordered the case file to be elevated to the full board of the National Jury of Elections. Official notifications were issued to the electronic mailboxes of both the complainant and the legal representative for Renovación Popular.
The National Jury of Elections is scheduled to set a public hearing within three calendar days to issue its final and definitive ruling on the case.
