From a conservative archipelago to the rise of a far right: the radicalization of the Peruvian (partisan) right wing

This chapter examines the radicalization of the Peruvian right-wing and its increasing alignment with global far-right networks. Following the 2023 Madrid Forum, organized by Spain’s Vox party in Lima, Peruvian right-wing actors have consolidated a discourse centered on combating “global communism” while adopting populist and authoritarian strategies. The chapter traces three periods of transformation: (1) the “conservative archipelago” (2001–16), characterized by a fragmented but neoliberal-aligned right; (2) political radicalization (2016–20), marked by the rise of right-wing populism under Keiko Fujimori and the rejection of “caviares” (progressive elites); and (3) the consolidation of the far right (2021–24), where figures like Rafael López Aliaga have promoted nationalist, anti-globalization, and anti-democratic rhetoric. Since the political crisis sparked by Pedro Castillo’s removal in 2022, the radical right has exerted significant influence over Dina Boluarte’s government, pushing for restrictions on human rights, repressing protests, and rejecting international organizations. Using Cas Mudde’s framework on the far right, the chapter highlights the fusion of populist radical right (PRR) discourse with global far-right strategies. Ultimately, the increasing normalization of authoritarianism and the rejection of liberal democracy in Peru provide a crucial case study for understanding the expansion of the far right in Latin America and the broader process of democratic erosion in the region.