A Peruvian presidential contender was killed on Sunday, March 15, 2026, in a car crash on a remote Andean highway while en route to a campaign rally, casting fresh gloom over a nation hoping the upcoming vote will end years of political turmoil.
Napoleón Becerra, 61, died after his vehicle ran off the road in the rural district of Pilpichaca, about 430 kilometers southeast of Lima. The leftist candidate for the Workers and Entrepreneurs Party of Peru was traveling to Ayacucho for campaign events ahead of the April 12 election when the wreck occurred.
Three passengers traveling with Becerra were injured in the accident. Among the wounded were Senate hopeful Segundo Alberto Pizango and deputy candidate Monica Huayllane, party officials said, according to party sources.
Emely Silva, the party’s deputy candidate from Lima, confirmed the devastating report after receiving word from colleagues who had been traveling with Becerra on the campaign tour. “We were informed a few minutes ago about the accident by fellow party members who are in the area,” Silva told RPP. “They have notified us that our President has died.”
The crash happened on a hazardous stretch of the Vía Los Libertadores highway near Rumichaca. There were five people in the vehicle at the time, including the driver.
Mayor Balvín Huamaní told The Associated Press the vehicle went off the road in the remote district. Party representatives immediately appealed to authorities for help to evacuate the injured, provide medical care, and transfer Becerra’s body to Huamanga, the capital of the Ayacucho region.
Winston Clemente Huaman, the party’s first vice-presidential candidate, received the news while campaigning in the Loreto region and urgently called for government assistance for the survivors. “There are also other injured people; we are extremely concerned,” Huaman said. “We call for assistance so they can be evacuated to Lima as soon as possible.”
Becerra was one of 36 candidates running for president next month, though a recent poll placed him below 1% support. Born in Cajamarca on April 11, 1964, he served more than four decades in public roles, working at the Municipality of Lima from 1984 until 2025. He founded and led PTE-Peru from 2023, presenting the party as an advocate for workers and entrepreneurs.
The tragedy comes at a sensitive time for Peru, a country worn down by political instability. José María Balcázar, an 83-year-old former judge, became interim president on February 18 after Congress voted 75-24 to remove his predecessor José Jerí. Jerí had served only four months before being ousted in the “Chifagate” scandal over undisclosed late-night meetings with Chinese businessman Zhihua Yang.
Frequent leadership turnover has become a hallmark of Peruvian politics. The country has had nine presidents in a decade, with many predecessors impeached, forced to resign, or removed amid corruption scandals. Dina Boluarte, who preceded Jerí, was unanimously removed by Congress in October 2025 amid rising crime and public anger. Earlier, Pedro Castillo was ousted in 2022 after attempting to dissolve Congress and is now serving an 11-year prison sentence.
Becerra’s death is a direct blow to PTE-Peru’s electoral hopes. Under Peruvian electoral law, the death of a presidential candidate voids the entire presidential ticket. The party can no longer contest the presidency or vice presidency, although its Senate and Chamber of Deputies candidates remain on the ballot.
The fatal crash underscores the risky conditions candidates face while campaigning in Peru’s mountainous terrain. Andean highways connect remote communities to larger cities but include treacherous stretches where accidents are common. The Vía Los Libertadores winds through high-altitude passes and narrow roads cut into steep hillsides, posing challenges even for experienced drivers.
Becerra had been campaigning across Peru’s interior in the weeks leading up to the accident. Days earlier he appeared at the Gamarra commercial district in Lima at an event with his Senate and deputy candidates, focusing on reaching voters in areas often overlooked by mainstream politicians.
PTE-Peru leaders said helping the injured remains a priority and continue to seek government support for medical treatment and evacuation to Lima for more advanced care. Two of the wounded are reported to be in serious condition.
Peru’s crowded presidential field of 36 candidates highlights the fractured political landscape. Conservative businessman Rafael López Aliaga leads many polls, with Keiko Fujimori—daughter of former President Alberto Fujimori—running second. If no candidate receives more than 50% of the vote on April 12, a runoff will be held on June 7.
