The Special Electoral Jury of Lima Centro has declared inadmissible a request to annul the candidacy of Rafael López Aliaga as deputy mayor of Lima.
The Peruvian electoral body determined that the petition filed against the Renovación Popular party candidate arrived past the statutory deadline and failed to align with any legal grounds for exclusion under existing regulations.
Electoral authorities ruled that the filing submitted by complainant Ronald Wilder Castillo Rojas constituted a formal challenge, known locally as a tacha, rather than a valid petition for candidate exclusion. Under electoral rules, challenges must be submitted within three calendar days of a candidate list's official publication.
The Renovación Popular list had been formally admitted on July 26, 2026, whereas Castillo Rojas submitted his challenge on August 21, 2026, nearly a month after the submission window closed. The panel noted that this procedural delay alone was sufficient to dismiss the petition.
Electoral grounds and legal arguments
Despite the expired deadline, the tribunal evaluated the claim under candidate exclusion criteria outlined in Article 41 of the Candidate List Registration Regulations. The rules specify four exhaustive grounds for removing a candidate: a final criminal conviction carrying a prison sentence, judicial interdiction, a penalty of disqualification, or disqualification under Article 10 of Peru's Organic Elections Law.
The court found that none of these statutory conditions applied to the allegations against López Aliaga. Castillo Rojas had argued that if Renovación Popular wins the municipal election on October 4, 2026, López Aliaga could assume the mayoralty for the 2027-2030 term, which the petition claimed would violate Article 194 of Peru's Constitution prohibiting immediate mayoral reelection.
The dispute arose after Luis Isael Rubio Idrogo resigned his candidacy for mayor of Lima under the Renovación Popular ticket on August 4, 2026. Rubio's departure led to a shift in the party's slate, moving López Aliaga to the top of the candidate list.
Party defense and final resolution
In formal filings, Renovación Popular described the petition as a disguised challenge submitted out of time. The party maintained that López Aliaga's elevation on the list resulted from external circumstances beyond his control and did not automatically constitute a mayoral candidacy or an unconstitutional reelection.
Prior to rendering its decision, the electoral tribunal referred the dossier to its resume monitoring department for detailed review. The specialized unit returned the file on August 21, 2026, confirming that the matters raised fell outside its jurisdiction.
López Aliaga is a prominent Peruvian businessman and conservative politician who currently serves as Mayor of Lima and leads the Renovación Popular party. The Special Electoral Jury of Lima Centro operates as a specialized local court under Peru's National Elections Jury, overseeing compliance and candidate eligibility during electoral contests.
Citing the principles of legal preclusion and legality governing Peruvian elections, the tribunal declared the request inadmissible and ordered the case archived once the ruling becomes final.
