Fuerza Popular senator Karla Schaefer received a S/20,000 campaign contribution from a mining executive seeking state concessions in Arequipa, official election records show.
The bank payment contradicts public statements made by Schaefer, who previously rejected having accepted any financial support from the mining industry during her parliamentary campaign.
Electoral financial disclosures
Official financial reports from the National Office of Electoral Processes (ONPE) show that the contribution of 20,000 Peruvian soles was deposited in January 2026. The funds were transferred by Francisco Manuel Pedraza Ferreyros, a businessman and legal representative for the mining firm The Mine Key S.A.C., according to findings published by investigative news portal OjoPúblico.
The financial transaction was completed during the election campaign while the mining firm maintained active filings before the state to acquire mineral exploitation rights in southern Peru. Official campaign accounting records confirm the deposit was registered as a direct bank contribution to the candidate.
The National Office of Electoral Processes is Peru's autonomous constitutional body tasked with supervising political campaign finances and managing electoral logistics. Under Peruvian electoral integrity laws, all candidates and political parties are required to submit detailed financial balance sheets disclosing the origin of all campaign funds, donor identities, and banking transactions to ensure public oversight.
Karla Schaefer Cuculiza is a veteran Peruvian politician affiliated with Fuerza Popular, the right-wing political party led by Keiko Fujimori. Schaefer has represented the party in the national legislature, where lawmakers consider national mining policy, environmental regulations, and fiscal frameworks governing natural resource extraction across the country.
Corporate legal representation
Official records from the National Superintendent of Public Registries (Sunarp) confirm that Pedraza holds formal powers of attorney to represent The Mine Key S.A.C. before public and private entities. Sunarp functions as Peru's central public registry, maintaining authoritative legal documentation regarding corporate structures, land titles, and executive powers.
The registry documents show that Pedraza is empowered to act on behalf of the mining company before all classes of authorities, natural persons, and legal entities across both the public and private sectors. His mandate includes full legal standing to represent the enterprise in administrative and regulatory proceedings before Peruvian government ministries.
Specific legal powers assigned to Pedraza include the authority to file administrative and judicial appeals, enter into legal transactions, request precautionary court measures, and collect financial payments or indemnities. These registered powers confirm his direct operational involvement in managing the company's formal applications and regulatory petitions before state bodies.
In Peruvian corporate law, a registered legal representative holds binding authority to execute contracts, manage property claims, and conduct formal negotiations with government agencies. Sunarp registration ensures that these managerial powers are publicly verifiable and legally enforceable across all administrative jurisdictions.
Mining concession applications in Arequipa
The administrative petitions managed by Pedraza on behalf of The Mine Key S.A.C. involve state concession requests for two mining properties designated as Towers Hill I and Towers Hill II. Official records from the Geological, Mining, and Metallurgical Institute (INGEMMET) reveal that the petition for Towers Hill I was first registered in August 2024.
When the application was initially lodged with INGEMMET, the requested concession covered an area of 1,000 hectares. In November 2024, the company filed for a formal reduction in area, adjusting the requested boundary to 800 hectares allocated for metallic mineral extraction.
The requested land is situated within the province of Caravelí, in the southern coastal region of Arequipa. The concession boundaries lie between the rural districts of Río Grande and Yanquihua, an area known for mineral deposits.
Administrative records indicate that the petition was submitted under a joint ownership arrangement with Zertuming Group S.A.C., with The Mine Key S.A.C. holding a 50 percent ownership stake. System records confirm that the mining petition currently remains listed as active in the official state database.
Validity fees and state regulatory framework
To keep the concession claims active and maintain legal priority over the land before state regulators, the applicant companies have paid the required annual validity fees. Under Peruvian mining rules, paying annual validity fees is mandatory to prevent concession petitions from being canceled by administrative authorities.
INGEMMET operates as a specialized technical agency under Peru's Ministry of Energy and Mines responsible for managing national mining claims and processing land concessions. The agency administers the national mining cadastre, maintaining records of active claims and collecting annual fees paid by mining companies to preserve their exploration rights.
Metallic mining in Peru encompasses the extraction of valuable metals including copper, gold, silver, and iron, which represent a major portion of the national export economy. Arequipa is one of Peru's primary mining regions, where extensive mineral resources attract substantial private investment and regulatory scrutiny.
The disclosure of the campaign transfer connects a sitting member of the national legislature with a corporate representative actively seeking governmental approval for mineral exploitation. The financial filing highlights the ongoing relationship between legislative decision-makers and commercial entities undergoing state evaluation for resource concessions.
