Peru: 215 convicted candidates cleared for 2026 regional/municipal elections

Peru's JNE has accepted 215 candidates with criminal convictions—ranging from embezzlement to kidnapping and sexual assault—for the 2026 regional and municipal elections. The electoral body defends the inclusion under current law protecting rehabilitated citizens, a stance that may trigger legal and political challenges. This highlights a tension between legal rehabilitation provisions and public integrity standards in Peru's electoral system.