Peru Adjusts Foreign Policy, Strengthens Ties with the US

Peru plans to strengthen relations with the United States, which it regards as a “strategic partner,” according to new Foreign Minister Carlos Espa during a press conference on Friday (July 31). Espa also said Peru would work to restore diplomatic relations with Mexico and Colombia, while taking initial steps to reestablish ties with Venezuela.

Espa was appointed head of Peru's diplomatic service this week as part of President Keiko Fujimori's conservative cabinet. He previously served as communications director at the US Embassy in Lima for several years, a background that has led observers to expect a foreign policy more closely aligned with Washington.

Fujimori was sworn in on Tuesday (July 28) after winning a tight election in which voters were particularly focused on concerns over rising crime. A former first lady with a long political career, she has expressed plans to increase cooperation with the US, emphasizing that her government would dedicate “very significant space” to coordinating with President Donald Trump's administration.

Washington is making its most decisive moves in years to bolster influence in Peru, a major copper producer that has become an important strategic partner of China. The Trump administration seeks to counter Beijing's growing influence in Latin America and aggressively confront criminal networks in the region, viewing both as major national security concerns.

Under Trump, the US has also pursued a updated version of the Monroe Doctrine, dubbed the “Donroe Doctrine,” aiming to establish the Western Hemisphere as a US sphere of influence. The US administration has also invited right-wing governments to join the Americas Counter Cartel Coalition, also known as the “Shield of the Americas,” which coordinates military campaigns against drug trafficking organizations.

Speaking at Friday's press conference, Foreign Minister Espa said Peru is moving toward joining the “Shield of the Americas” as part of the anti-crime crackdown proposed by President Fujimori. Trump has largely supported right-wing candidates in Latin America since returning to power for a second term, as evidenced by declarations of support and promises of cooperation.

US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau attended Fujimori's inauguration. She defeated leftist rival Roberto Sanchez by a margin of less than 50,000 votes in the June runoff, after three previous electoral defeats. She becomes Peru's ninth president in a decade, a period marked by political turmoil as several presidents resigned or were impeached before completing their terms.

Fujimori succeeds interim leftist leader Josa Maria Balcazar, who was appointed by Congress after three consecutive presidents were removed from office. As the leader of the powerful Fuerza Popular party, she has built her political career modeled on her father, Alberto Fujimori.

In the 1990s, Alberto Fujimori was accused of leading an authoritarian government after dissolving Congress and the Supreme Court. Keiko served as first lady after her father divorced her mother. After his presidency, Alberto was arrested in 2005 and convicted of corruption and crimes against humanity, including extrajudicial killings and forced sterilization campaigns against rural and indigenous people. However, he received a controversial pardon and was released in late 2023, shortly before his death the following year.

Keiko Fujimori has often cited her father's legacy as an example of the stability and strength she can bring to Peru.