Former Lima mayor Rafael López Aliaga has pledged to serve as a city councillor if his party loses Peru's municipal elections on October 4, 2026.
Speaking during an interview on television network Canal N on August 17, the candidate for deputy mayor of the Metropolitan Municipality of Lima insisted that he would join the council opposition regardless of who wins the mayoral race.
López Aliaga, running on the Renovación Popular party ticket, confirmed that he will take up his seat on the Metropolitan Council to audit the city budget if rival candidates Carlos Bruce of Somos Perú or Francis Allison of Avanza País win the mayoralty.
The politician stated that his primary role as a member of the council will be to oversee municipal spending and ensure that public funds are protected. He noted that he does not care who wins the election because his sole interest remains safeguarding the city of Lima.
The Metropolitan Municipality of Lima serves as the executive and legislative city government for Peru's capital, which houses roughly one-third of the country's population. In Peruvian local government, elected city councillors, known as regidores, sit on the Metropolitan Council to audit municipal accounts, review public contracts, and approve local ordinances.
Opposition role and budget proposal
López Aliaga noted that taking office after the October vote would mark his third period serving as a Lima city councillor. He held a council seat during the administration of former mayor Luis Castañeda Lossio, and he also served as Lima's mayor until stepping down recently to run for deputy mayor.
Beyond monitoring municipal expenditures, López Aliaga outlined financial proposals to increase revenue for the capital. He pledged to fight for Lima to receive a two percent share of customs duties collected in Callao, the neighboring port city that borders the capital and serves as Peru's main entry point for maritime trade.
The candidate asserted that his party, Renovación Popular, is the only political group in the contest that maintains an active parliamentary bloc in Congress. He dismissed competing political organizations, explicitly targeting groups led by José Luna Gálvez and César Acuña, as well as the long-established Acción Popular party, describing them as defunct.
López Aliaga previously ran for president of Peru and was elected as a member of the Peruvian Senate, although he ultimately decided not to take up his seat in the national legislature.
Re-election controversy and election outlook
When questioned on whether running for deputy mayor amounts to a disguised re-election attempt following his term as mayor, López Aliaga rejected the assertion, stating that he is strictly running as a candidate for deputy mayor. He added that any debate over his eventual leadership should wait until election results reveal whether his ticket is elected.
Voters across the capital will cast their ballots on October 4, 2026, as part of nationwide regional and municipal elections that determine Peru's local leadership for the upcoming term.
